The Greens were value for their points too displaying the kind of spirit we’ve come to expect from Tom Ward’s side while also displaying the quality that earned them an ultimately unassailable 2-0 lead. That lead was given to them by a Ben Robson header late on in the first half before being added to by the lively Billy Gillies after the Greens had executed a wonderful break midway through the second half. Max Baker was the man on hand to power home Kyle Radford’s searching cross for the hosts to have the Greens sweating with 15-minutes remaining, but they saw out the contest with real control to move within six points of the United Counties League play-off places after seven games.

Player/Manager Tom Ward made just two changes from the side that returned to winning ways over the weekend with a 4-0 victory over Deeping Rangers. Those adjustments saw Tom Waumsley and Jonasz Gadomski drop out for the welcome return of Liam Flitton and Billy Gillies – while there was also a place on the bench for Kyle Watkins for the first time this season following his recovery from injury. Hosts Skegness Town meanwhile were 1-0 victors on the road at Kimberley Miners Welfare on Saturday afternoon – Jordon Smith the scorer – and they went unchanged again as they looked to continue their five game unbeaten run.

It was the hosts who enjoyed the best of the opening exchanges on the Lincolnshire coast, Tom Ward forced into an early intervention to prevent a lurking Marshall Young from tapping home at the far post. Jake Henderson was in similar action again just two minutes later, denying Jordon Smith before Max Baker rose highest to divert Scott Floyd’s cross wide of the mark.

The Greens began to grow into the contest though and it was they who generated the best opportunity so far when Joe Smith forced Caleb Pipes-Goulsbra into a fine save with his feet before Marshall Young flashed a drive inches wide of the mark at the other end. It was at this point the Greens noticeably stepped up a gear and Billy Gillies venomous drive from distance whistled inches past the upright after the half hour.
Chances continued to be exchanged, and Finlay Armond will have felt himself unlucky not to have touched Joe Smith’s cross in ahead of Pipes-Goulsbra before Liam Flitton was called into his first meaningful action to parry away Declan Johnson’s drive.

Within three minutes though, the Greens were in front, and it was fine work from Finlay Armond to pick out Ben Robson at the far-post who guided a lovely header across Pipes-Goulsbra to give the Greens the edge. That advantage was very nearly cancelled out almost immediately when the Lilywhites went straight up the other end and saw Declan Johnson crash an effort onto the base of Liam Flitton’s post, a timely reminder to the Greens to maintain their concentration into the half-time break.

The second half began in much the same fashion as the first with the hosts going all out to grab themselves a leveller, Flitton first required down to his right-hand side to tip away from a deflected Lilywhites header before Declan Johnson dragged wide of the mark after dispossessing Ben Robson in the middle of the park.

Once again, the Greens grew into the contest and Billy Gillies called Pipes-Goulsbra into action just beyond the hour, forcing a fine save with his feet following Parker’s handy set-up. Pipes-Goulsbra was in action again just two minutes later, tipping Joe Smith’s freekick wide of the mark, but he was powerless to help as the Greens stretched their lead 10-minutes later. It was that combination of Josh Parker and Billy Gillies that bought about the opportunity, Parker executing some lovely hold-up play to bring Gillies into play, who powered well beyond Pipes-Goulsbra and into the top corner of the net.

At this stage, the hosts threw caution to the wind at this stage, making four substitutes in one swoop, and that change reaped immediate rewards when one of them, Kyle Radford, crossed for Max Baker to head home at the far post beyond Liam Flitton and bring the Lilywhites right back into the contest.

Naturally, the hosts found a new gear and Leon Mettam ought to have done better when he tapped Max Baker’s cross just wide of the mark before Flitton was down smartly to collect Radford’s venomous drive with five minutes remaining. Despite the Greens being reduced to 10-men late on when Ben Robson saw red for an off-the-ball scuffle, the hosts could not find a route back into the contest.

Words: Oliver Atkin