Victory extended the Greens recent unbeaten streak to four games in United Counties League Premier Division North including three straight victories stretching back to the 4-0 victory over Deeping Rangers a fortnight ago. Smith himself extended his own goalscoring tally to eight for the campaign as he played the starring role in what was likely to be one of the Greens most comfortable contests this season.

Under the charge of interim manager Graham Watkins, the Greens made four changes from the side that were defeated on penalties at Eynesbury Rovers in the United Counties League Knockout Cup last weekend. Those changes saw departing manager Tom Ward resume his place in the team as a player, while there were also places in the eleven for Joe Smith, Jake Henderson and Kegan Everington who made his first Greens start following his debut last weekend. Those changes saw Harrison Ainslie and Mitchell Clogg drop to the bench while Tom Waumsley and Ben Robson missed out to do absence and suspension, respectively. Opponents Kimberley Miners Welfare meanwhile were in midweek action in the Nottinghamshire Senior Trophy, losing 2-0 to Clifton All Whites. They made five changes from that side as Kai Moore, Kai Wilson, Daniel Dixon, and Lucas Ellis all dropped to the bench while Declan Brown dropped out of the side altogether. In their places came Ben Maxwell, Nathaniel Peters, Josh Mundell, Lewis Weaver, and Michael Fitzhugh.

The Greens were quickly into their stride on home soil, Joe Smith scuffing into Thomas Smith’s hands within eight minutes the first real opportunity. That was followed up two minutes later by fine work from the Kimberley keeper to beat away Kegan Everington’s effort after he’d turned Josh Timson on the left.

The Greens dominance was rewarded just over the quarter of an hour mark, and it was that man Smith who found the bottom corner with a lovely, neat flick from Ryan Flitton’s excellent cross. That was exactly what the Greens had deserved on the balance of play, and they doubled that lead 10-minutes later from the spot, Joe Smith again the scorer after he’d been felled in the area by Jordan Haywood.

Josh Parker had the Greens best opportunity of a first half third, stinging the palms of Smith from the edge of the area following some handy build-up play from the hosts. Their flow was disrupted somewhat though by frustrating injuries to Charlie Ward and Kegan Everington as Graham Watkins was forced into making two early changes and the visitors will no-doubt have been pleased to see through to half-time with the deficit still at 2-0.

The second half was a significantly quieter affair, though the Greens could have added a third early on, Thomas Smith pushing Joe Smith’s sweeping effort from range aside before Lewis Weaver powered an effort just beyond Liam Flitton’s upright. Despite that, a third was coming and it was Joe Smith again on hand to wrap up his hat-trick just beyond the hour mark – Smith seeing his first effort saved by Thomas Smith before latching onto the rebound to power home beyond the helpless keeper.

With that, the Greens certainly took their foot off the gas a little and Kimberley enjoyed their best spell of the contest, in terms of possession and territory and they finally forced Flitton into meaningful action with 20-minutes remaining, Timson forcing the Greens custodian to tip away his venomous drive. Bar that though, the Greens defended resolutely and limited Kimberley to very few clear-cut chances as they recorded a third straight United Counties League Premier Division North victory.

Words: Oliver Atkin