Pershore Town extended their lead at the top of the Hellenic League Division One table to 12 points after battling past a stubborn Newent Town 3-1 on Friday night.

Having not played for almost a month, The Plums stuttered at times but goals from James Baldwin and Aidan Clark made it eight league wins in a row for the league leaders.

Newent rarely threatened the Plums but a sensational free-kick from Saul Thomas from 30 yards pulled one back in the closing ten minutes.

It prevented a fifth clean sheet in a row for Danny Janes' men but Pershore held firm before Jordan Adams headed home a third in stoppage time to wrap up the points.

The visitors dominated the ball from the outset but showed signs of rustiness in the final third as they laboured for the opening half an hour.

But they could have been ahead after just three minutes, but Baldwin saw his shot cleared off the line having rounded the keeper.

Chances were few and far between until the league leaders finally found the back of the net.

Will Beach worked some space before standing up a ball up to the back post that the keeper flapped at and Baldwin could not miss from all of one yard.

The impressive Beach was posing a threat down the right hand side and he almost doubled the lead, but the woodwork prevented his curling effort.

Pershore were banging on the door as the half grew and Petar Tonchev should have done better as he blasted over from close range following good work from Baldwin to fizz a ball across goal.

But for all their pressing, the second goal eluded them and Newent got to the break just the single goal behind.

It again took a while for Pershore to get going after the restart and it was not until the 60th minute they created a chance.

And what an opportunity it was too. Aidan Clark beat the offside trap down the left and sprinted clear towards goal before cutting back, going past a few defenders and lashing well over the bar from just eight yards.

Tonchev also wasted a golden chance to get that all important second as he too failed to hit the target when through on goal.

But much like the goal in the first, it was another scrappy one that finally saw Pershore make it 2-0.

An inviting corner from Josh Willis was headed down and over the line from striker Clark, once the assistant referee had given it the all-clear.

Pershore looked comfortable but the game took a turn in the 80th minute as Newent's Thomas found the top corner from a superb 30-yard free-kick.

It made the closing stages slightly nervy but the hosts were unable to create anything further and Pershore added to their lead in stoppage time when Adams headed home from a corner.