Bourne Town beat Newark Town in the United Counties League
A deflected goal and a controversial call to turn down a strong penalty appeal was all that separated Newark Town from runaway league leaders Bourne on Saturday.
The Blues went down to a narrow 1-0 away defeat against the United Counties League Division One table-toppers in front of a superb crowd of 425 that was boosted by a healthy away following at the JJ Mac Stadium.
Despite the defeat, Newark can take plenty of heart from their performance against a side who need only seven points from their final seven games to be crowned champions.
Zac Allen's match-winning strike on the hour took a deflection to beat Theo Avery in the Newark goal while the visitors were aggrieved to see a penalty shout rejected nine minutes later.
Newark had made the trip to Lincolnshire to face a Wakes side who came into the contest on a nine-match winning run.
Zak Munton saw a couple of early shots blocked for the hosts while Will Bird headed wide at the back post inside the opening 15 minutes.
Vital blocks from goalkeeper Dan Swan and centre-half Matt Cox then helped keep Newark at bay as they looked to make their mark proceedings.
Simon Biggs then shot wide for the visitors following a corner before Bourne went close to breaking the deadlock as Munton unleashed a fine strike from outside the area which rattled the crossbar.
Visiting goalkeeper Avery then clawed away a decent hit from James Hill-Seekings before Swan got down well at the other end to keep out a Harry Wakefield shot as the opening half finished goalless.
The Wakes then made the vital breakthrough on the hour mark as Hill-Seekings picked out Allen who guided the ball home via a deflection.
The visitors thought they should have been handed a way back into the contest when they had strong penalty appeals turned down after Ryan Smith went down in the penalty area under Richard Jones' challenge.
However, that proved to be their only serious threat on the Bourne goal as the game entered the final 20 minutes with the Wakes showing why they have conceded just 22 goals in 33 league games this season as they went on to keep a third successive clean sheet.
They could have added to their tally as Hill-Seekings struck wide from distance following a wayward clearance by Avery who then made a fine save to deny Allen a second goal with a brilliant block also thwarting Archer's follow-up.
Substitute Josh Edmondson saw a header safely gathered by Avery before Lucas Cotterill flashed a late shot over for the visitors as Bourne bagged their 29th league win of the campaign to take another step closer to title glory.
Newark remain in the play-off places and will be looking to cement their grip on fourth spot with a midweek trip to Saffron Dynamo on Wednesday night.
