Two equalisers not enough for Shiners

Third-placed South Normanton twice came from behind to level before losing out.

Linby, who moved up to sixth, led at half-time through an Aidy Harris strike after Shaun Smith cancelled out Lewis Weaver’s early goal.

South Normanton levelled again through Fraser Kirk before Lewis Weaver got his second with 12 minutes remaining to win it for the home side.

The Reds made an early impact when Weaver broke through on the left side of the box after two minutes and slotted past Branon Meehan.

The pacey striker nearly got a second after ten minutes when he beat a tight offside line to go one-on-one with the keeper, but fired over.

South Normanton continued to withstand further Linby pressure, surviving a goalmouth scramble as Stef Cobb’s cross wasn’t cleared.

Meehan bravely denied Weaver in another one-on-one before Kyle Johnson had the away team’s best chances of the first half-hour.

He got a shot away on a break and then curled wide from a free kick.

The Shiners were unlucky not to level when defender Sam Sims shot over under pressure in the penalty area.

But in the 32nd minute striker Smith equalised with his 14th goal in as many games after a patient passing move down the left.

However, Linby regained the lead before half-time.

Harris and Weaver chased a loose ball and from the following corner Harris eventually tapped home after a scramble.

In the second half, Linby’s Glenn Tolley struck a free kick straight at the keeper and Kye Pilmore’s shot was off target.

Kirk nodded wide from a free kick before heading a second South Normanton equaliser from a corner.

However, the sides were level for only seven minutes as Weaver grabbed his second of the game in the 78th minute.

The young player used his pace to meet a Harris through ball before racing clear one-on-one with the keeper and again showing his composure to put the ball away.

A player from each side was booked in a fractious finale and the visitors made three substitutions in a bid to find a third leveller.

After the match Linby manager Lewis Saxby said: “That win showed we can mix it with the teams pushing at the top of the league.

“We had to keep our heads and we had to show good concentration at the end to see the game out, but we played well and got the result.”