The Final of the Notts FA Senior Cup will be between Carlton Town and Newark and Sherwood United after the latter beat Nottingham Forest U21’s in the semi-final at a packed Station Road Ground in Collingham last night.

The United Counties League team upset the odds to beat a Reds side that included a number of fringe stars with the home side taking the lead after just three minutes through Nyle Blake who’s shot beat the Forest goalkeeper by bouncing over his desperately stretched diving body.

Newark were good value and had chances through Cummings ahead of the Reds missing a guilt edged opportunity inside the six yard box on the half hour.

The second half was more backs to the walls stuff as Newark & Sherwood defended their lead, the hosts seeing off the Reds attack before a free kick into the box on 82 eventually found James Gardner who tapped in to the net after an initial good save by the goalkeeper from Luke White’s effort.

That sent the players, staff and fans into raptures, an attendance of 1,002 packed into the village venue the highest by some way since United’s re-incarnation, the club founded as Worthington Simpson in 1901 had more recently been called Newark Flowserve and Newark FC before eviction from their previous home at Hawton Lane led to the new name in 2022, the club this season have gone well in the UCL and are currently sixth, well in the promotion race, as well as now having a County Cup final to enjoy.

In that final they’ll play Carlton Town who themselves, were magnificent a couple of weeks back at Mansfield Town, the Millers winning at the Mill on penalties after a 1-1 draw over 90 minutes.

Mike Emery, the Carlton Town penalty taking keeper opened the scoring before half time with a spot kick sending his opposite number the wrong way, then Mansfield levelled through striker Jimmy Knowles shortly after the break, the game deadlocked at ninety was decided by clinical efforts from the away side, Kyle Dixon missing for Carlton before Knowles shot was saved by Emery, the next three were scored before Mansfield missed again as Harbottle’s shot was stopped by Emery in what was a man of the match performance, Carlton then scored their last two to ensure a 4-2 victory sent them through to the final which they not only won last year, but also make it now seven Notts Senior Cup finals in the last twelve years, which they have reached.

*Main image @StewartLinton the magic of the cup as Newark celebrate against the Reds.