There was plenty of action for Notts-based clubs across the GCE Hire Fleet United Counties League this past midweek with games in Division One on both Tuesday and Wednesday night.

Both Retford sides, and Stapleford Town, remain undefeated at this early stage of the campaign, the Badgers having won three and drawn one of their first four outings; Retford and Stapleford were inactive.

At Cannon Park the hosts brushed aside a stern test in visiting Staveley Miners Welfare thanks to a hat-trick from striker, Lewis Chambers, his first coming from the penalty having them a goal to the good at the break.

The spot-kick after the visitors saw a player dismissed for a foul in the penalty area, and Chambers blasted the resultant kick into the roof of the net; the second half was only minutes old when Chambers struck again, played in brilliantly by Charlie Fox, with the hosts threatening to run Staveley ragged.

Both sides had chances in which to score before the hosts added a third, and a hat-trick for Chambers, heading home a Mitchell Tait cross just after the hour mark, and still the chances flowed but Chambers failed to add what would have been a fourth late on, but it wasn’t to be.

RETFORD UNITED – Darren Smith, Matthew Tootle, Mitchell Tait, Joe Lumley, Conner Williamson (capt), Dominic Hart, Charlie Fox, Brandon Kane, Lewis Chambers, Jackson Buckthorp, Joshua Devereux (Ryan Bailey, Jack Barnett, Charlie Dawes, Alexander Phillipson)

With the Shirebrook Town – Retford game postponed, and Southwell being held to a goalless draw when at Sleaford Town, the only other midweek successes belonged to Dunkirk, winning 2-1 at home to Clifton All Whites, and Sandiacre Town brushing aside FCV Grace Dieu, 3-1 at home.

Dunkirk’s victory came via a last-minute winner from Kieran Diver, whilst Benni Wilson’s brace featured in Sandiacre’s home win; Radford meanwhile, they played their part in an entertaining, 3-3 draw, away to Holwell Sports, although they’d not be happy on throwing away a two-goal, interval lead.

Goals from Logan Dimmock-Fox and Jarrod Westcarr saw the Pheasants two-up after just six minutes, with Jake O’Reilly pulling one back just after the half hour; Riley Parton restored the two-goal cushion on the stroke of half-time, but the visitors failed to capitalise after the restart.

O’Reilly netted again within minutes of the restart and, with a little over ten minutes remaining, Max Fisher equalised to make for a nervy close, both sides holding out for a point.

RADFORD – Benediktas Cukanouas, Janaydan Hare, Harrison Mellors, Lattrell Patterson (capt), Seiko Brown, David Boafo, Riley Parton, Louie Dunwell, Jarrod Westcarr, Abou Bakare, Logan Dimmock-Fox (Laurence Hall, Errol Campbell, Tobias Rhule, Lemiah Daffah, Blair Anderson)

Elsewhere in the UCL Division One there were defeats for Clipstone (3-2 at Pinxton), Rainworth Miners Welfare (1-0 off visiting Dronfield Town), and West Bridgford (2=1 at home to Coalville Town).

Meanwhile, after Saturday’s 2-2 draw at home, Eastwood eventually saw off ten-man Gresley Rovers to progress to the next round of the Emirates FA Cup. Overall, the two sides put on over 210 minutes of football, with the replay finishing as a goalless draw, with Rovers seeing Nathan Banton dismissed in the early exchanges.

The visitors rang some six changes from the first match as both sides struggled to find a breakthrough, the hosts missing two as they exited 4-2 on penalties, with Badgers shot-stopper proving a hero with a clean sheet, and scoring a spot-kick, alongside efforts from Terry Hawkridge, Declan Dunn, and captain, Aaron O’Connor.

Their reward for victory, a trip to Midland Premier Division side, Coton Green, on Saturday 16 August.

EASTWOOD – Sam Wilson, Elijay Morris-Wright, Tyler Johal, Declan Dunn, Philip Watt, Jake Wright, Terry Hawkridge, Danny Elliott, Tyler Blake, Aaron O’Connor (capt), Abdul Saad (Alfie Flynn, Finn Commons, Lavell White, Ryan Tait, Harvey Ridgley, Will Robinson, Noh Abraha)

FA CUP PRELIMINARY ROUND DRAW (NOTTS-BASED CLUBS) to be played, Saturday 16 August 2025

Basford United vs. Hucknall Town; Coton Green vs. Eastwood CFC; Newark & Sherwood United vs. Boston Town; Rossington Main vs. Newark Town; Sherwood Colliery vs. Anstey Nomads

*Article provided by Peter Mann (Senior Correspondent).

*Main image @EastwoodCFCV2 Eastwood Community eventually beat Gresley after penalties.