Sleaford Town conclude their festive schedule on Saturday afternoon with a visit to the Haydon Whitham Stadium to face Deeping Rangers, kick-off, 3PM.

The Match Background

The Greens final action of a record-breaking 2023 takes centre-stage this afternoon, and they’ll hope to finish the year on a high after returning to winning ways on Boxing Day after a three game winless run in league action. The arrival of striker Gregg Smith has certainly galvanised the Greens as they look to piece together a winning run that will hopefully return them to play-off contention in the second half of the season – but today they encounter Lincolnshire rivals with very similar aspirations. A shock 3-1 defeat to Pinchbeck United before Christmas was followed up by a 1-1 draw with Wisbech Town on Boxing Day, as Rangers slipped six points off the play-off race. That then, makes today all the more important for both sides with play-off hopes hanging in the balance – can the Greens plot their way to a successful 2024 by finishing 2023 in the strongest fashion. Time will tell…

Last Time Out

The Greens returned to winning ways in United Counties League Premier Division North with a comfortable 3-0 victory over a struggling Pinchbeck United side on Boxing Day. The Greens were rarely threatened by their lowly visitors and didn’t look back once Tristan Drummond had fired the Greens into an early 10th minute lead after he’d been set up by Akeel Francis. Despite going in at half-time only one goal to the good, the Greens pulled away during an all-action second half performance, and it was Francis who added to his assist just beyond the hour mark, turning Archie Wallace with precision and coolly slotting beyond Lewis Cox to double the Greens advantage. The Greens then sewed up the points shortly after, this time Ryan Lennon the beneficiary of a Charlie Ward knock-on to finish with aplomb and secure a first league win in three for the hosts.

Team News

The Greens are likely to stick with the side that started the 3-0 victory over Pinchbeck United on Boxing Day, though players such as Connor Pilbeam, Ryan Lennon and Lewis Daff will have hopes of gatecrashing those thoughts after they made cameo appearances from the bench last Tuesday. Gregg Smith will be expected to continue leading the line after a confident opening to his second stint in Green over Christmas while Player/Managers Tom Ward and Nathan Arnold will hope to see the highly-anticipated return of striker Ryan Rushen who has been absent since the 1-0 victory over Wisbech Town in November because of work commitments.

The Opposition

The stage is set then, for a pivotal derby clash at the Haydon Whitham Stadium, where hosts Deeping Rangers have very similar hopes and aims for the second half of their campaign. Sat three points and a place above the Greens in the Premier Division North table, Rangers have flirted, but never really sustained, a play-off challenge this campaign, though they did briefly occupy a play-off spot after they defeated the Greens at the Longwater Stadium back in October. Since then, seven league encounter have elapsed for the South Lincolnshire side and they’d faired reasonably well in the first five of those drawing two and winning two – including a 7-0 hammering of AFC Mansfield – aside from recording a 2-0 loss at defiant Belper United. Two derby encounters over the Christmas period have not been kind to Rangers long-term ambitions and a 3-1 defeat at home to Pinchbeck United – a side who’d previously won just once all season – was certainly not in the script for today’s hosts. Attempts at an immediate putting-to-bed of that result was thwarted by Wisbech Town on Boxing Day who fought their way to a point against the Rangers with Sam Murphy levelling Liam Hook’s 58th minute opener for Rangers. Rangers cup exploits have faired little better this campaign with all bar one seeing Rangers crash out at the first hurdle – the exception being the Hinchingbrooke Cup where one round was negotiated courtesy of a 0-9 victory over Huntingdon Town. The will be then, no repeat of Rangers run to the final of the league’s Knockout Cup last season, where they were unfortunate enough, rather like the Greens, to fall into the trap of an all-conquering Anstey Nomads side at Blackstones in early May to ultimately finish runners-up. And so, the comparisons are rife as both sides plot a way back to potential play-off glory after faltering in the first half of the campaign – and today could go a long way to deciding the fate of both sides seasons heading into 2024.

Ones to Watch

Rangers have always been a tough nut to crack for many years in the United Counties League and are one the leagues longest-serving and most successful sides. A quieter period in their illustrious history, the last couple of years have seen the Rangers flagging somewhat behind the pace, but they still possess plenty of firepower amongst an experienced squad. Avelino Vieira, previously a regular with Peterborough Sports, and more recently of Pinchbeck United, has proved a shrewd addition to the Rangers attacking line. Bringing vast experience at higher levels, and six goals this campaign, he’s established himself amongst this Deeping side, sitting amongst the top appearance makers so far this campaign. It is though an altogether younger prospect that is currently pushing on in the scoring charts for Rangers with former Boston United youth Elliott Foster on nine for the campaign, including the opener in this season’s reverse fixture at the Longwater Stadium. Top scorer Tom Waumsley has taken over the scoring burden from Will Bird admirably after the latter’s departure to Bourne Town in the summer – Waumsley currently on 11 for the campaign in 19 appearances to date. Matt Sparrow is a name well known to those within United Counties League circles, while Dan Dougill’s name – a man formerly of Holbeach United fame – will also strike fear into Greens minds having scored what proved to be the winner for today’s hosts in this season’s reverse fixture.

Previous Meetings

Winless in 16 league encounters at the Haydon Whitham (D5, L11), the omens remain firmly out of the Greens favour this afternoon, though a 1-1 draw on the road last season suggests the Greens could be on course for an upturn in that record. As temperatures plunged to -4 on the night, Will Bird’s 81st minute strike looked to have condemned the Greens sorry record at the Haydon Whitham to continue, but a powerful Joe Braithwaite header just two minutes later gave the Greens an instant reply and a share of the spoils in front of 123 spectators in South Lincolnshire. That stalemate made it four points for the Greens against Rangers across the season, with the Greens triumphant at the Longwater Stadium in late August 2022. The game looked set to be heading for a 0-0 draw in front of 205 spectators in NG34, but it was Rodrigo Goncalves who was on hand for the Greens to make the best of a fortunate 90th minute ricochet to grab a late victory – one that saw the Greens rise to the summit of the Premier Division North table. This season’s reverse fixture was a little less successful for the Greens as they slipped to a 2-1 defeat at the Longwater Stadium in mid-October. Elliott Foster had broken the deadlock early on in the 7th minute before Dom Kew delightfully curled the Greens level on 24 minutes. Despite plenty of huffing and puffing from the Greens though, they were ultimately undone by Dan Dougill’s scrappy 49th minute effort as the Rangers stole the points at a damp Eslaforde Park.

The Match Details

Admission to the Haydon Whitham Stadium on Saturday afternoon is priced at £7 for adults and £5 for concessions with under-16’s free (alongside a paying adult). Saturday’s match referee is Aimee Keir and she is assisted on the day by Phillip Hayes and Ryan Pick. Kick-off at the Haydon Whitham Stadium is scheduled for 3.00PM.

Words; Oliver Atkin