The game arrived with huge significance. Kimberley started the day 5th, with Eastwood sitting 7th, just two points behind. Form favoured the Red Badgers, who had suffered just one defeat in their last nine league matches, while Kimberley came into the contest with one win from their previous nine.

Team News
Willis Francis made three changes from the side that lost narrowly at Newark Town. Declan Dunn and Alfie Flynn returned to the starting XI, while new signing Logan Dimmock-Fox was handed a debut. Toby Woodward and Jermain Hollis dropped to the bench, Tony Gbopo was not included, and Aaron O’Connor and Neo Saunders were named among the substitutes.

First Half
In front of a large and expectant crowd, Eastwood could not have asked for a better start. After just five minutes, debutant Dimmock-Fox picked up the ball inside the Kimberley half, beat four defenders, and slid a perfectly weighted pass into Tyler Blake, who finished calmly to open the scoring.

Three minutes later it was 2–0. Sam Wilson found Louis Nicholson on the left, whose pass inside was cleverly dummied by Terry Hawkridge, allowing Theo Flanagan to take a superb touch past his man before firing low into the bottom corner for his first goal for the club.

The Red Badgers were relentless. On 15 minutes, Phil Watt met Declan Dunn’s corner at the near post to make it 3–0, before the fourth arrived soon after. Hawkridge played a neat one-two with Flanagan before lofting the ball into the box, where Watt nodded it on for Dimmock-Fox to head home and cap a dream debut.

Kimberley briefly thought they had pulled one back on 28 minutes through former Red Badger Sacha Markelic, but the assistant referee’s flag ruled it out.

Eastwood showed no mercy. Theo Flanagan slipped in Joel Stevens, who stayed onside, rounded the goalkeeper and scored his first goal for the club to make it 5–0. The sixth followed on 36 minutes as Stevens burst down the right and crossed for Tyler Blake, who smashed home at the second attempt.

Kimberley had managed just one shot at this point, but two goals in stoppage time changed the mood. A long throw was partially cleared to Josh Timson, who volleyed home, before Timson broke through again and his effort squirmed under Wilson, with Markelic ensuring it crossed the line. What had been a procession suddenly became 6–2 at the break.

HT: Eastwood CFC 6-2 Kimberley Miners Welfare

Second Half
The visitors carried their momentum into the second half. Just two minutes after the restart, a corner fell kindly for Timson, who poked home his second to make it 6–3, before striking the post moments later.

On 50 minutes, after Jake Wright initially headed clear a corner, Kimberley recycled possession and crossed back into the box. Despite Eastwood appeals for offside, Ryan Wheatley headed home — the goal eventually given after consultation — reducing the deficit to 6–4.

The comeback was almost complete on 58 minutes. Goalkeeper Ben Allsop’s long punt was flicked on by Timson into the path of Markelic, who fired in his second of the afternoon to make it 6–5, setting up a nervy finish.

Both sides went close, with Michael Pearson rattling the post for Kimberley on 72 minutes, but Eastwood delivered the decisive blow almost immediately. Declan Dunn won possession and played the ball forward, Ryan Wheatley missed his header, and Tyler Blake reacted quickest to complete his hat-trick, restoring the two-goal cushion at 7–5.

Full Time

Despite the chaos, Eastwood saw the game out to secure an unforgettable victory.

With Boston Town holding Skegness Town to a 0–0 draw, the Red Badgers climbed into 5th place, breaking into the play-off positions for the first time this season.

Final Score: Eastwood CFC 7–5 Kimberley Miners Welfare

An absolute thriller at Coronation Park.

Eastwood CFC Lineup;

1. Sam Wilson
2. Alfie Flynn
3. Louis Nicholson
4. Declan Dunn
5. Phil Watt (15)
6. Jake Wright (c)
7. Joel Stevens (33) (Hollis 51)
8. Theo Flanagan (8) (O’Connor 59)
9. Tyler Blake (5,36,72) (Saunders 83)
10. Terry Hawkridge
11. Logan Dimmock-Fox (26) (White 74)

Subs
12. Lavell White
14. Aaron O’Connor
15. Jermain Hollis
16. Toby Woodward
17. Neo Saunders

Kimberley Miners Welfare Lineup;

1. Ben Allsop
2. Hanif Alassani (Partridge 85)
3. Nathan Banton
4. Tom Hilton
5. Connor Butler (Pearson 39)
6. Max Thornberry (Wheatley 28)
7. Nathaniel Peters (Tuck 85)
8. Logan Green (Sandu 46)
19. Finley Ryder
10. Joshua Timson (c) (45+2, 47)
11. Sacha Markelic (45+3, 58)

Subs
12. Lewis Partridge
14. Michael Pearson
15. Zak Sandu
16. Ryan Wheatley (49)
17. Daniel Tuck

Man of the Match: Tyler Blake (Hat-trick)