Nuneaton Town claim points at Gloucester City to boost Blue Square Bet North promotion push as AFC Telford and Solihull Moors suffer setbacks

Apr 3 2011 by Lee Gibson, Sunday Mercury

NUNEATON grabbed two goals straight after half-time to send them on their way to a vital victory to boost their promotion hopes.

Kevin Wilkins’ side sealed only Nuneaton’s second league win in seven matches to remain fourth in the table.

City matched the visitors in midfield but were let down by a lack of shots on goal and two defensive errors to tip the game Nuneaton’s way.

Nuneaton had an early chance when Justin Marsden flicked on to set Iyseden Christie through on goal on nine minutes but Christie mistimed his kick and knocked the ball out.

Gloucester’s Adam Mann had a shot on 22 minutes saved before City won a series of corners.

Marsden had the Nuneaton fans on their feet five minutes from the break with his powerful shot from just inside the box but the ball hit the post and bounced back out.

Marsden, though, was not to be denied and he put the visitors ahead on 47 minutes. A rare mistake from Mike Green let Christie through to set up Marsden and he finished.

Darren Mullings scuffed a shot over the bar on 50 minutes as Gloucester threatened but City were undone three minutes later. Matt Coupe cleared a throw in but only as far as Simon Forsdick, unmarked on the edge of the box, who caught the ball with a half volley and powered it past City keeper Kev Sawyer.

City’s Mike Symons wasted all his hard work on 60 minutes, after racing forward and beating two defenders he crossed when he should have shot

Sawyer saved from Marsden on 75 minutes as Nuneaton enjoyed the lion’s share of possession before a third goal from Andy Hall deep into injury time sealed the points.

HINCKLEY found themselves a goal down before turning the game on its head to post a thumping win that banished any relegation fears and hit Blyth’s play-off ambitions.

Blyth’s Alan White had back-heeled the visitors into a 36th-minute lead but goals from Lloyd Kerry and Jermaine Clarke in first-half injury time gave Hinckley the advantage.

Kerry had taken advantage as the Blyth defence back-pedalled in the 46th minute and less than 60 seconds later Clarke fired home from 10 yards after a weak punch from visiting keeper Jake Cunningham. Sam Belcher hit a third for Hinckley in the 54th minute after good work from James Reid on the left.

Reid got in on the action after an hour when he headed over Cunningham after a goalmouth scramble.

Andre Gray put the icing on the cake in the 78th minute with a shot from the edge of the area that was well hit but went straight through Cunningham.

AFC Telford’s title hopes nosedived as they suffered only their third defeat of the season.

The Bucks looked unusually lethargic as they were made to look ordinary by one of the form teams in the table.

Eastwood scored all three of their goals from corners and could have had more as the visitors struggled to get going.

The opener came on 24 minutes when the Badgers’ skipper Michael Simpson whipped a corner in from the right and Matt Bailey’s goal-bound shot was deflected in by Russell Cooke.

Just 11 minutes later, the hosts had breathing space when another corner from Simpson was only part-cleared by Telford defender Stuart Whitehead to Adie Hawes who powered in a header.

Telford chief Andy Sinton brought on Conogolese striker Yannick Salem and Hereford loanee Sam Gwynne at half-time.

But Eastwood had a third goal within three minutes of the re-start, Lee Stevenson heading in off yet another set-piece from the captain.

Salem went close to pulling one back but the home side were comfortable winners.

A SOLITARY goal with 15 minutes to go saw Solihull slip to defeat against play-off rivals Guiseley.

Solihull started well and Ryan Beswick fired over on four minutes and Matt Smith then crossed for Junior English who was denied by goalkeeper Steve Drench.

Charlie O’Loughlin then did well stopping Jamie Walshaw threatening the Solihull goal.

It was all Solihull as Beswick dribbled through on 38 minutes forcing Drench into a superb save.

Moors keeper Jas Singh was tested for the first time just minutes before the break by Guiseley’s Danny Forest.

Solihull lost Joe Clarke at half-time and with Lee Ayres off the pitch with a head injury Guiseley took full advantage, with Forest scoring after beating makeshift full back Alex Price and firing in to the top corner.

Solihull had chances in the second half especially O’Loughlin’s close-range header but they couldn’t avoid their second defeat in a week.

STAFFORD picked up a crucial home point in their push for league survival on a nervy afternoon at Marston Road.

It was Harrogate who pressed from the start and Rangers could count themselves fortunate to be still on level terms after 15 minutes during which time Ciaran Toner headed against the bar and Gary King headed over a clear goalscoring chance.

Almost with their first threat on goal Rangers grabbed a vital lead but not before they had lost top scorer Ben Mills with an ankle injury.

Four minutes after he was replaced by Luke Keen Rangers moved ahead when a good delivery from Fabrice Kasiama was neatly headed home by Niall McGuire.

Just before the break Rangers had an opportunity to increase the lead when Andre Francis headed on a Danny Edwards free kick but visiting defender Jake Picton just denied Jermaine Johnson.

The second half well and truly belong to Harrogate and nerves appeared to affect the home side. Home defender Martyn Naylor headed off the line a Picton header, and Toner fired over from just eight yards.

It came as no surprise when Harrogate got back on level terms with 11 minutes to go when substitute Steve Bowey set up Toner who drilled home from 12 yards.

BASEMENT boys Redditch returned from Cheshire empty handed in a bizarre match against Vauxhall which saw two own goals and a first-half red card for Reds captain Sean Geddes.

Geddes was given his marching orders for foul and abusive language on 28 minutes and although the home side exerted plenty of pressure they couldn’t create any clear-cut chances before the interval.

After the break, the pressure continued and Vauxhall finally took the lead on 66 minutes in fortunate circumstances, Chris Noon’s low cross was scrambled into his own net by Reds defender Alex Hickman.

United continued to give a dogged display and equalised on 73 minutes, Charisma Agbonlahor ran at the Vauxhall backline and