United Counties Premier Division North outfit, Newark & Sherwood United, eased to a comfortable, 4-0 win, at home to fellow Notts side, Eastwood CFC, on Saturday afternoon, keeping their promotion fires burning strong.

Sitting in sixth place, United are just five points off joint-second duo, Anstey Nomads and Quorn, although the former do have games in hand; Loughborough Students, despite having now drawn their last two, have a comfortable advantage at the top.

The Highwaymen opened the scoring early on, Kacper Ratjer blocking a clearance and allowing Kieran Cummings to run in on goal, firing past the Eastwood ‘keeper, Joseph Searson-Smithard; that lead was doubled just twenty minutes later after a cross from Masai Arbouin is met by the head of James Gardner, the score staying that way at the half.

The visitors would see their manager, Martin Ball, dismissed around the half-hour, and their woes were compounded shortly after when a third goal was registered; a clearance from home shot-stopper, Ross Woolley, is flicked on by Ryan Ebanks, and Cummings is on hand and chip home his second, and the Highwaymen’s third, of the game.

With a little over ten minutes remaining, a fourth was added by the hosts, substitute Luke White despatching a free-kick and fellow sub, Ainsley Finney, rockets home a header; there was a chance for a fifth late on when in the closing minutes, Steven Bonel was brought down, Luke White’s spot-kick though was saved by Searson-Smithard.

NEWARK & SHERWOOD UNITED – Ross Woolley, Ryan Ebanks (Thomas Slone, 76), Riley Thompson (Steven Bonel, 76), Liam Mays (Toby White, 72), Romaine Graham, James Gardner, Masai Arbouin, Kacper Rajter, Nyle Blake (Ainsley Finney, 65), Kieran Cummings (Luke White, 65), Kian Sketchley

EASTWOOD CFC – Joseph Searson-Smithard, Rioual Bakala-Koussaba (Jack Messom, 56), Ben Wallis, Tyler Johal, Travis Munn, James Allen, Kial Thurman (Jack Messom, 56), Ryan Tait (Isaac Morledge, 69), Etien Omari, Massiah McDonald, Louis Czerwak (Will Foley, 69)

Sherwood Colliery were the only other victors in the division, edging hosts Skegness Town 1-0, whilst AFC Mansfield were held to a goalless draw at Leicester Nirvana, and both Selston, and Kimberley Miners Welfare, lost at home, to Melton Town, and Quorn, respectively.

Newark Town are sitting third in the UCL Division One after taking a big, 3-0 win, away to promotion rivals, Hucknall Town, Lucus Cotterill with a goal in each half.

Cotterill’s first came when he got on the end of a ball from Lewis Chambers, heading home inside the opening half hour; then, with the game heading towards half-time, Tristan Drummond’s ball was finished by Lewis Chambers.

Having scored the opener in the first half, Cotterill gets on the end of a ball over the defence, finishing well, midway through the second, the goal completing the scoring; Connor Whiles and Kieran Knight having good chances in the first half for the hosts, Brad Lathall (2) and Craig Westcarr, at the death, coming close.

HUCKNALL TOWN – Louis Kinnerley, Jamie Crawford, Billy Brooks, Louis Tomlinson, Oliver Brown (Aaron Short, 46), Sam Sims, Connor Whiles (Kai Wilson, 46), Joe Ashurst (Trevell Lindo, 81), Craig Westcarr, Kieran Knight, Jack Thatcher (Brad Lathall, 46)

NEWARK TOWN – Harry Chapman, Tristan Drummond, Luke Andersen, Jackson Buckthorp, Rhys Lewis, Sam Bartle (Ben Sharpe, 50), Jack Bartle, Jack Beckett (Jesse Anderson, 70), Alex Hales, Lewis Chambers, James Lloyd, Lucus Cotterill (Rhys Harbottle, 80)

Elsewhere in the division both Clifton All Whites, and Clipstone, won 3-1 at home, to Barrow Town, and Gedling Miners Welfare, respectively, whilst Radford eased to a 6-1 win away to Harrowby United.

Rainworth Miners Welfare won 3-2 at home to Kirby Muxloe, Southwell City lost a seven-goal thriller at home to leaders Aylestone Park, and West Bridgford narrowly lost when home to Blackstones.

At Harrowby, Radford romped to victory to keep in touch with their fellow, promotion-casers, Scott Litchfield with a brace alongside goals from that of Jonathan Jebbison, Jevin Seaton, Greg Tobin, and Errol Campbell, meanwhile, Rainworth edged home by the odd-goal-in-five as Nathan Benger scored twice, followed by a late third from Callum Fletcher.

Basford United were held to a 1-1 draw when home to Bromsgrove Rovers in the Southern league Central Division, whilst in the Northern Premier East, Worksop continued their impressive form this season, coming from behind to win 2-1 away to Consett, Jack Broadhead with the winner on the half-hour.

As for Carlton Town, they fell to a 4-2 defeat when home to Bridlington Town, Bradley Wells and Tyler Blake netting midway through the second period, however, a three-goal burst for the visitors, in the space of twenty, second half minutes, saw them to victory.

In the Northern Counties East Division One, Ollerton Town closed the gap on local rivals, Retford, as bot continued their push for a play-off spot, the former comfortably winning 4-0 at Brigg Town, and the latter, losing 5-2 when home to Rossington Main.

Ashley Grayson put Ollerton a gaol up inside the opening minutes, but were made to wait until the second period before adding more, Lewis Bingham netting the second just after the restart; Mathew Thompson made it three just before the hour mark and, with ten minutes remaining, Lewis Murr competed the rout.

Retford however, despite an early goal from Liam Frost, fell to defeat against a visiting Rossington side who had Ross Hannah to thank for the points, he bagging a hat-trick; Haydn Goddard grabbed a second goal for the hosts early in the second period.

The Central Midlands League’s Buckinghamshire Insurance League Challenge Cup competition saw vested interest from Nottinghamshire, SJR Worksop losing on penalties, following a 2-2 draw at home to Holbrook Angels, whilst Linby Colliery Welfare, Nottingham, and Teversal, all progressed.

Linby won on penalties following a goalless draw at home to Wirksworth Ivanhoe, Nottingham saw off Retford Development 5-3 at home, and Teversal also won at home, 3-0 against Mansfield Hosiery Mills.

In stretching their unbeaten, league run, to ten matches, Wollaton, with a comfortable win at home to Radcliffe Olympic, continue to lead the Nottinghamshire Senior League Premier Division, by five points, from second place Keyworth United, who tripped up when home to Woodthorpe Park Rangers.

Although they’ve played more than those beneath them, sixth place Stapleford have ten games in hand, Wollaton eased to a 3-1 win thanks to a double from Liam Taylor, and one from Archie Wood, Taylor taking his tally for the season to 27 goals, in 21 outings.

Woodthorpe inflicted a 2-0 defeat on Keyworth thanks to a goal in each half from Malaky Eshelby and Markell Bailey, whilst Sandiacre Town, sitting third, won 4-0 away to Borrowash Victoria, Alex Beno and a Reece Campbell penalty gave the visitors a two-goal cushion at the break, followed by late strikes from both Joshua Mendell and Ben Cooke.

There was also successes for Dunkirk, 3-1 at home to Cotgrave, and both Basford CFC and Aslockton & Orston when away to Ravenshead (4-2) and Awsworth Villa (2-1), respectively, Clifton FCB winning 1-0 at FC Sez under the lights on Friday night.

*Article provided by Peter Mann (Senior Correspondent).

*Main image @GRSPlusUK Newark in green comfortably saw off their Notts rivals Eastwood.