he Greens face the task of a third game in the space of a week, as Maltby Main head to the BPH Stadium in the United Counties League Division One.
Tuesday night was one to forget, as a disappointing showing against Louth Town in Northeast Lincolnshire ended in a 1-0 defeat for The Greens. This meant that Sleaford slipped out of the playoff positions and into sixth place. It will certainly be the aim to get back into those positions with a solid showing this time out.

In previous games, however, there has been one Sleaford player who has caught the eye. Facing the media this week is in-form goalscorer Lewis Smith, who believes there are lessons to be taken from Tuesday night: “There is definitely a lot to learn from Tuesday night” he said. “We need to make sure we are staying disciplined for the whole ninety minutes, switching off at any point can lead to a goal and especially conceding right before half-time, it was always going to be difficult.

“ We also played some good football in spells on Tuesday and created a handful of chances so we need to make sure we are sustaining that for longer periods in the game so we can put Tuesday’s result right on Saturday.”

Reflecting on his performances so far this campaign, Smith is determined to carry on his form throughout the season: “After speaking with the gaffer in pre-season, it was clear this season there was going to be a complete shift in mindset on how we approached it. I knew that I needed to be fitter and stronger going into this season, and knowing how we were going to play, I made sure I was working hard to make sure I could make a good start.

“Overall, I’m happy with how I’ve started the season and feel I’ve put in some good performances and managed to get myself a few goals. I know that I have more to improve on and need to keep working on that to make sure I’m putting in consistent performances each week. I want to make sure I keep improving and keep working hard for the team so that by the end of the season we are in a position we want to be”.

The Greens have been impressive at home in the league so far, collecting fourteen out of twenty points at the BPH Stadium, a fact that Smith believes is crucial: “Our home form has been really important towards the end of last year and the start of this season, off the back of Tuesday’s result it’s important that we get back to winning ways this weekend at home. We’ve got a great home support which gives the lads that extra lift.

“We want to make Sleaford a difficult place for teams to come, and hopefully we can put in another strong performance on Saturday to get 3 points at home and continue climbing the table”.

Opposition Focus

Maltby Main are competing in their first UCL D1 campaign this season, having been transferred from the NCEL at the end of last season. The club gained popularity in recent years in the music community, as Sheffield-based band Bring Me the Horizon became the front-of-shirt sponsor in 2024. With over thirteen million monthly listeners on Spotify, the sponsorship has brought crucial revenue to the club.

However, on the pitch, the Miners have had mixed success over the last few seasons. The club saw relegation from step five in 2025 and secured a comfortable mid-table finish in the NCEL last season. Maltby arrive in Lincolnshire thirteenth in the division, with fourteen points to their name.