Sunday 25th January 2015

For the second successive week the NAPIT LEAGUE fixture program was more or less wiped out by the wintery conditions with just eight games going ahead, one more than seven days previously. One side who were in action were FC Britannia and their prize, if they could overcome opponents Cresswell Black Diamond, would be the leadership of NAPIT ONE. The omens were good for Britannia, going into the game, as they did, unbeaten so far this season and boasting two players in Callum Lytham and Nathan Whitehead who had scored twenty-six goals between them prior to the game. As it turned out both players contribution to Britannia's cause was vital as Lytham's excellent hat-trick and Whitehead's brace led them to an impressive 5-1 victory which secured their position as "table toppers' as the end of January approaches. At the other end of ONE New Whitt are fighting for their lives as they battle to attempt to claw their way away from the relegation zone. Indeed their plight could not have been worse as they journeyed to Clune Street to take on Clowne Wanderers, beginning the game, as they did, propping up the rest of the division. As for Wanderers they have had a decent enough season to date spending most of it in the upper reaches and are always hard to beat in their own back yard. A difficult task then for New Whitt but they rose to the challenge superbly and battled their way to a 1-0 victory which was secured by Adam Dowling's match winning goal. The other two sides in action in the league's top-flight were Tibshelf Town and Hopflower Utd at Newton. A close game ensued which culminated in an odd goal in three win for Town courtesy of goals from Ross Armstrong and substitute Matt Waldram.

In THREE just one game went ahead and it was contested by Pilsley Community and Ark Tavern. Tavern started the game looking to improve their lowly position with a win but Pilsley proved to be a tough nut to crack and two goals from substitute Matt Shiels plus a third from fellow sub Tom Newman eased them to a 3-1 victory.

The leadership of FIVE changed hands for the third time in as many weeks as Holmehall 1st hit the top following their 3-1 victory over Royal Oak Rangers. The destiny of the title is anybody's guess at the moment but Holmehall did their chances no harm whatsoever as two goals from Adam Fareham and a third from James Wooten secured the points. At Back Lane Palterton Sporting Club took on Old Whittington Miners Welfare. In a classic game of "two half's" the first belonged to Palterton as an early goal from Will Holmes plus a second in stoppage time from Dale Anderson put them in the driving seat. Old Whittington had shown glimpses in the first half of what they were capable of and as the second half wore on they began to take control, creating but failing to convert several good opportunities. Indeed with just ninety seconds left those misses were looking like being extremely costly when the drama began. Firstly Danny Rigby scored what appeared to be no more than a consolation goal when from the restart Whittington regained possession and as the ball fell to Dale Fairchild just inside Sporting's area he hammered the ball home to turn the game on it's head and leave the Palterton players scratching theirs as to how they had not won the game.

Just up the road from Palterton at Hillstown Fidlers Rest took on Hasland Wanderers in SIX. A win for Fidlers would see them go second in the table which is exactly what happened as two goals from Danny Stokes cancelled out a Dean Brown goal to hand their side victory.

Finally just the one game in SEVEN saw Brimington Club visit Spartans 2nds at their Castle Leisure home. Club began the game one point behind Spartans in the table but ended it two points above them as Lewis Siddall and Conner Yates goals secured them a 2-0 victory.