Britton nets as Town go top

Britton and his teammates were kept quiet for most of the match by a determined Nettleham side, but with 65 minutes on the clock he made enough room for himself to fire home from the edge of the area.

It was sufficient to bag the three points, and knock Grimsby Borough’s second string off top spot.

“Nettleham are a difficult side to beat and they made us work hard for the win,” said Skegness gaffer Nick Chapman. “We will have to improve if we are to be among the trophies, but I’m happy with the result.”

Britton’s goal was set up by a surging run down the middle by McCauley Parker, who fed the striker in the inside right channel.

Britton didn’t hesitate and after swivelling on the edge of the penalty area he buried the ball in the far bottom corner of the net.

Almost immediately Nettleham should have equalised when the Skegness defence opened up and substitute Jack Higginson burst into their box, but Travis Portas in the Skegness goal palmed his shot away.

The Nettles continued to press in a bid to salvage a point, but Shaun Booth was inches wide; then Liam Kishere shot tamely into the arms of Portas with a free kick from the left.

With a minute to go the home side were presented with their best opportunity to rescue a point. A needlessly conceded free kick on the edge of the Skegness penalty area presented Kishere with another set piece.

He struck it well from 25 yards, but saw the ball ricochet to safety from the foot of Portas’s post.

TOWN: Portas, Warren, Epton, Stevens, Chamberlain, Parish, Cunliffe, Davison, Britton, Elliott, Parker, Hobbins, Nichols, Scutt.

On Saturday Skegness Town entertain Horncastle Town in the fourth round of the Lincolnshire FA Junior Cup at the Vertigo Stadium (kick-off 1.30pm).