An interesting combination of results in the top six of the Euro Soccer Nottinghamshire Senior League Premier Division saw the gap narrowed between the sides on Saturday afternoon.

As the top two of Woodthorpe Park Rangers and Sandiacre Town were inactive, third place Ilkeston failed to take advantage when they slumped to a 2-0 defeat away to mid-table Ravenshead, the goals coming via Luke Duerden, and Oliver Higgins; that result, couple with those elsewhere, mean the top six are now separated by just six points.

Southwell City, fourth, romped to victory to move level with Ilkeston, they seeing off visitors FC Cavaliers 9-0, Bradley McDonald with a hat-trick, Calum Law and Ben Selby both adding braces for their tenth win in fifteen league outings, whilst Keyworth United joined them with a 4-2 win away to FC Sez, Thomas Siswick and Callum Wolloch among the scorers.

Of the other games played in the top division, Max Taylor bagged himself a double hat-trick as he scored six of AFC Dunkirk’s eight away to Bilborough Town, and there were six different goal-scorers in the seven-goal thriller between Attenborough, and victors Aslockton & Orston; Stapleford Town and Wollaton meanwhile shared the spoils in a 2-2 draw.

West Bridgford narrowed the gap on Division One leaders Radcliffe Olympic to just a point after the former claimed a 3-0 home win over AFC Top Valley, and the latter lost 2-1 when hosting Beeston Old Boys Association.

Substitute Lewis Heron would fire a brace for a second placed side now ten clear of the chasing pack (although Top Valley do have games in hand), whilst the leaders were downed by goals from Joe Stanway and Matthew Bishop.

Just three points separate Top Valley, and sixth place Meden Vale Colts, two of those sides faced off, and shared nine goals, Beeston winning 5-4 away to Gedling Southbank; Tom Coupe would score three for the victors, whilst there was also a brace from the hosts’ Mason Coy; Meden Vale meanwhile were held to a 2-2 draw when away to Stapleford Town Reserves.

There were also big wins for Kimberley Miners Welfare Reserves, Radford Reserves, and FC Geordie, Kimberley winning 9-2 at Pythian, Josh Barr-Rostron and Blaise Duruaku notching hat-tricks in the battle of two of the bottom three sides.

Radford hit bottom club Calverton Miners Welfare for six without reply, substitute Jerome Ellis at the double, whilst Geordie won 5-1 at home to Southwell City Reserves, James Scott-Parkin with three, and the remaining game would see Ruddington Village win 4-1 at home to Kirton Brickworks.

The battle at the top of Division Two North has the potential to turn into a triple-threat contest, the previously unbeaten leaders, Bestwood Colliery, downed when away to third place Shirebrook Soldiers, for whom both Ben Charlesworth and Kieran Darby scored twice apiece.

The chasing pack behind the Soldiers, led by Netherfield Seniors wo are six adrift themselves, sees four points separating five sides, down to Ravenshead Reds in eighth.

Finally, the top two in Division Two South continue to set the pace, East Leake Robins leading by five points after they saw off visitors Burton Joyce Senior Blue 6-1, and second place Bingham Town Reserves won 4-1 away to Elston United, they holding a nine-point advantage on the chasing pack.

*Article provided by Peter Mann (Senior Correspondent).

*Main image @JimBethell cloud nine action as Southwell beat FC Cavaliers.