Basford United led the list of Nottinghamshire non-league sides in action. (Credit: Basford United / Mick Gretton).

Nottinghamshire’s sides experienced another weekend of frustration as bad weather wreaked havoc with the fixture list at all non-league levels. 

Many games were postponed across the weekend, while the few that were on had to face some of the coldest temperatures of the season.  

In the Southern League, Basford fared better than Notts County in at least having their away game playable on an artificial pitch at Barwell FC. 

The trip to Leicestershire was one of the shorter ones the Ambers will face this season, and they entered as favourites against the 17th-placed hosts. 

Basford made just one change to their starting line-up from the 3-0 win against Alvechurch the previous week, with captain Gregg Smith returning in place of Kameron Campbell. 

After a balanced opening period, the Ambers took the lead in the 38th minute through a flicked header from Anthony Dwyer, showing great technique to turn home Ben Starkie’s cross. 

Their half-time lead didn’t last long however, as Barwell quickly levelled things up in the 49th minute through Brady Hickey. 

The tit-for-tat contest continued as Courey Grantham fired Basford back in front in the 58th minute from goalkeeper Kieran Preston’s deep free kick, and the visitors pressed for a decisive third. 

Barwell held out during that spell and responded strongly, though, eventually equalising in the 86th minute through Sid Kerr. 

Neither side could force a late winner, with the points being shared in a 2-2 draw.

Dropping down to the Northern Premier League East Division, Worksop Town also benefited from their past investment in an artificial surface at the Windsor Foodservice Stadium. 

The Tigers welcomed local rivals Long Eaton United for a battle of first vs 12th in the league, and in the end, it was the clear league leaders who breezed through. 

Worksop fired in their opening goal in the 17th minute through Liam Hughes and never looked back from there. 

Hughes doubled his tally just a minute later before grabbing his third in the 35th minute, setting up the possibility of a real thrashing. 

So it came true, with Liam Hardy adding a fourth in the 39th minute and Aleks Starcenko responding to a brief Long Eaton reply in first-half added-time to make it 5-1 at the break.

A second from Hardy followed in the 64th minute and Tavonga Kuleya notched the Tigers’ seventh in the 91st minute, making it 7-1 when the final whistle came. 

The result saw Worksop’s unbeaten run extended to 22 matches, while they surpassed 100 league goals this season with the emphatic display. 

Meanwhile, the Tigers’ fellow NPL East Division side Carlton Town were in friendly action on Saturday, travelling to Eastwood Community FC to play on – you guessed it – an artificial pitch. 

The Millers ran out 4-0 winners at the end of 90 minutes via goals from Jonny White, Tyler Blake, Alex Howes and Kyle Sargent.  

The NPL East Division returns this Saturday, with Worksop travelling to Pontefract Collieries while Carlton welcome Shildon to the Bill Stokeld Stadium. 

In the United Counties League Premier Division North, the fixture list was decimated by overnight frost to leave just one game playable, the visit of Sleaford Town to Wisbech Town. 

That meant the games involving Newark & Sherwood, Sherwood Colliery, Kimberley Miners Welfare, AFC Mansfield and Selston were all postponed, and they were without friendly fixtures to keep fit either. 

AFC Mansfield, however, are set to return to action this Tuesday as they visit Anstey Nomads. 

Dropping down to the United Counties League Division One, a slightly healthier return of three fixtures were playable, two of which featured Nottinghamshire sides. 

Dunkirk made the long trip to Stamford-based Blackstones in a meeting that could go a long way to deciding who makes a break into the playoffs. 

The Boatmen took the lead in the 19th minute through Jack Oldham, but a strong comeback from the Lincolnshire side saw the hosts grab victory with just nine minutes to spare. 

Already in the play-off spots, Newark Town hosted local rivals Harrowby United as they looked to solidify their third-place position. 

They gained some foothold, but it wasn’t the three points they were looking for as Harrowby cancelled out a first-half goal from Lewis Chambers in front of 256 fans. 

With Chambers extending his goalscoring record to 23 goals in 19 games this season and the Blues’ defence still one of the meanest in the UCL Division One, their promotion push rolls on despite a slight hiccup.

Dunkirk are set to be in action again this Tuesday as they host Barrow Town, while seventh-placed Radford are also set to return as they welcome Birstall United. 

Both fixtures are subject to pitch inspections. 

Finally, in the Northern Counties East Football League, both Ollerton Town and Retford had their matches postponed to add to the long list of sub-zero victims.

With very little fortune in regard to the weather this past weekend, Nottinghamshire’s non-league community will be hoping for a temperature improvement very soon to get them back on track.