The play-offs are proving to be the place to be for Nottinghamshire clubs this season, six sides contesting the semi-finals across the Northern Premier League Division One Midlands, United Counties League Premier North, and UCL Division One.

In the NPL, both Carlton Town and Basford United will host their respective semi-final matches on Tuesday (28 April) night, the former hosting Racing Club Warwick, the latter welcoming Belper Town.

Those games came about after the Millers finished as runners-up to Anstey Nomads, who won the division with a 1-0 win over visiting Wellingborough Town on Saturday, finishing the campaign with an eleven-game winning streak.

The Millers, they slipped up in the closing weeks of the season, winning five and drawing two of their last ten; Saturday though, they wrapped things up in style, defeating visiting Coventry Sphinx 4-1 courtesy of goals from Khyle Sargent and Niall Davie late in the first half, and from Logn Dimmock-Fox and Lamin Manneh in the final half hour.

Finishing in third is the Ambers, a massive 21-points further back, winning just four of their last ten heading to the play-offs, their final league game being a 2-0 defeat away to Long Eaton United.

In the United Counties League meanwhile, their Premier North semi-finals were played on Saturday afternoon, Newark Town winning a tight affair, 1-0, away to local rivals Sherwood Colliery, the only goal of the game arriving just before the break courtesy of Harry Allcock.

Newark will travel to Grantham Town this Saturday (2 May) in the final, Grantham having edged visiting Belper United 3-2 in the other semi-final, Cameron Johnson with the winner seven minutes from time.

UCL Division One also saw their semi-finals played out, and again tense affairs were witnessed; Retford United are looking to join neighbours Retford in promotion, and they edged visiting Staveley Miners Welfare, 1-0, Jackson Buckthorp with the only goal two minutes in.

They’ll host Coalville Town in the final after they beat Stapleford Town 1-0 in the other semi-final, Ronnie Morley netting the winner late in the first half.

Of the league games played, Worksop Town’s National League campaign ended with defeat, going down 2-1 away to Chorley; two goals adrift at the break, Lewis Whitham halved the deficit from the penalty spot early in the second half, but the Tigers were unable to muster an equaliser.

In the UCL Premier North, Kimberley Miners Welfare closed their campaign with a 1-0 loss away to Skegness Town, whilst there was plenty of action taking place in the Central Midlands Alliance, and Nottinghamshire Senior League respectively.

SJR Worksop, in the CMA Premier North, and Selston, in the CMA Premier South, were the only sides victorious, the former winning 2-1 at home to Harworth Colliery thanks to George McKernan’s double, and the latter kept their title race going with a 3-0 home win against leaders, Graham Street Prims.

Two goals from Jordan Black, and one for Nicholas Hines, against the visiting leaders, moved Selston within two points of Prims, with two games in hand, the Notts side having a Senior Trophy final, and three league games, still to play.

Elsewhere in the CMA there was losses for Worksop Town Reserves (1-0 at Dinnington Town) and Teversal (5-2 at Kinsley Boys, Cameron Pinnick with a brace) in the North, and for Linby Colliery Welfare (2-0 at Melbourne Dynamo) and Blidworth Welfare (3-0 a6 Wirksworth Ivanhoe) in the South.

A victory for Nottinghamshire does come in the CAM Division One East, Woodhouse Colts claiming the title following a 4-2 home win over Long Bennington, goals coming from Jordan Jenkinson, Kyle Chadburn, Jack Sellars, and Callum Mays; Ashland Rovers finished second and Newark Town Reserves third.

Meanwhile, in the Nottinghamshire Senior League Premier, Awsworth Villa and Bingham Town continue to battle for runners-up spot, with a couple of games remaining; Awsworth won 6-1 at home to Southwell City Reserves, with Aaron Coyle netting twice, and Bingham won 2-0 at home to Kimberley MW Reserves, Jacob Boyes and Kieron Stanley netting.

Reece Campbell and Nicholas Federici bagged braces as Wollaton won 5-1 at Dunkirk, Woodthorpe Park Rangers won 4-2 at Ruddington Village, and Notts Olympic won 3-1 at home to Aslockton & Orston.

The remaining games, between Beeston and Arnold Town, and FC Cavaliers and Collingham, finished with honours eve, in 2-2 draws; where titles are concerned in the NSL, Cotgrave have long-since claimed the Premier Division, Stapleford Town Reserves won Division One, AJ Sport Division Two, and Calverton Miners Welfare Reserves Division Three.

*Article provided by Peter Mann (Senior Correspondent).

*Main image @Basfordutdfc playoff beckons for Basford United.