Sunday 2nd March 2014

Second placed Renishaw Miners Welfare were made to work hard by Whitecotes, D Fletcher and S Grainger’s goals earning them a 2-0 victory as Whitecotes were reduced to ten men after D Bradbury saw red. F C Britannia were in inspired form as they brushed aside opponents Eckington Boys, strolling to an 8-0 win. D Fields starred for Britannia, registering a treble, D Ledger scored a couple, Keenan, Sculley and Chambers completing the scorers list.

NAPIT TWO side Silver Birches produced the shock of the day as they beat leaders New Whitt 5-3, only New Whitt’s third defeat of the campaign. Despite the superb win Birches remain at the foot of the division, although they have played two games fewer than the two sides immediately above them. Their goal scorers in the game were Poole, Wilkes 2, Newton and Yates. One of the two teams in question are Ashover Vale who held second placed Grassmoor Sports to a 1-1 draw. The other one is Wingerworth Barley Mow who didn’t fare so well, losing 8-0 at promotion chasing Tibshelf Town for whom S Harris hit four of the eight goals. FC Brimington travelled to Langer Lane to take on Brampton Rovers JMA and duly beat them 4-1, Rigby two, Gardner and Taylor the scorers.

Neither of the top two sides in THREE played however third placed AFC Bolsover and fourth placed Dronfield Woodhouse played each other and the former won 5-0 as the protaganists swapped league positions as a result. Scott Austin and Josh Sears both scored twice for Woodhouse with Liam Mottram adding goal number five. Beechers Brook easily beat Hopflower Athletic 6-1 whilst the game between Hollingwood Athletic and Newton George and Dragon was a much closer affair with Athletic edging it 3-2, Hopkinson, Thorpe and Poole on target for the winners.

Into FOUR and the top two sides in this division both won. Leaders AFC North Wingfield visited Newbold and returned home with the points after goals from Andrew Woolvern, Adam Smith and Chris Collins secured them a 3-2 victory. Dronfield Miners win came at the Castle Leisure Park were they beat Brimington Park Colts 5-3. Miners raced into a 4-1 lead before a Colts fight back was repelled after they were reduced to ten men in an ill-tempered affair. Ollie Wood hit a hat trick for Miners with Ross Bateman scored a brace. Woodthorpe Inn and Steelmelters met in the Derbyshire Junior Cup semi-final recently with the former winning a close contest by one goal to nil. The re-match was even closer with both teams picking up a point as the game ended level at 2-2. Ant Lynam scored both Woodthorpe goals with Steve Mansell and former William Lee and Oxcroft Miners Welfare man Paul Roe replying for Steelmelters.

The race for the NAPIT FIVE title remains an intriguing affair as Clowne Wanderers Reserves returned to the summit by beating Old Whittington MW 6-0 as previous leaders Hasland Community were without a fixture. Wanderers do have three games in hand over Hasland and their impressive goal difference moved up to forty-three following the win. On target for Wanderers in their latest win were Robson, Rodgers who both scored twice and Cooper and Taylor. North Wingfield MW are third, Green and Large scoring two goals apiece, Hanson one in a 5-3 victory over Spital, a position which looks to be secure with fourth placed Brampton Brewery eleven points further back. Brewery did claim a point however in a 2-2 draw with Holmehall 1st, Ceesay and Roberts scoring for Brewery, Bassett and Wildman for Holmehall. Brimington Utd remain in the wooden spoon position as goals from Jonathan Turner and Paul Wallis condemned them to a 2-1 defeat to Gate Inn North Wingfield.

Hady Villa’s grip on first place in SIX strengthened as they extended their lead to eight points following a 9-2 humbling of bottom side Boythorpe. Villa who are still un-beaten have scored goals for fun all season and Boythorpe offered little resistance as Steve McMahon hit a treble, Wayne Coupe two, Jack Wynn, Andy Laming and Dave Twell one each. Fourth placed Furnace Hill Hurricanes lost ground on the top three as they lost 3-2 at Markham Arms, Taylor, Love and Manlove scoring the winning goals.

NAPIT SEVEN top dogs Duckmanton Community didn’t play and second placed Brampton Rovers Reserves surprisingly lost 2-1 at struggling Britannia Tupton, Hegarty and Thompson scoring for Tupton. Third placed Oxcroft Utd took full advantage of Rovers demise, hammering Brimington Club 9-2 to move above them. Grayson led the way for Oxcroft with a hat trick closely followed by Murcott and Marshall who scored twice, Kimberley and Cann once each. Squadron Medical are in fourth place, their latest win coming over Dronfield Town whom they beat 4-1. Clay Cross Miners and Diners led by a Steve Rodgers goal at half time at Spartans 2nd and any hopes of a Spartans recovery were dashed just two minutes after the re-start as a forty yard Dean Lowe effort deceived Spartans keeper Matt Dance to extend M and D’s lead. A third goal followed from Michael Saville, Rodgers scoring his second and his teams fourth before J Draper scored an eighty-ninth minute consolation for Spartans. Finally Boot and Shoe beat Grassmoor Sports Reserves 2-1, Thompson and Heath with the winning goals.
Two outstanding cup ties were also played with Hasland beating Barrow Hill MC 5-1 in the Alma Cup and Barlow Kinston Rovers beat Glapwell Gladiators 2-1 in the Hutson Cup.