Weekend Preview – Sleaford Town vs Newark & Sherwood United and Boston Town

A crucial final two fixtures remain of the season, as Sleaford look to make it a happy Easter by securing their survival in the 9th tier of the English game, facing Newark & Sherwood away on Saturday whilst hosting Boston Town on Easter Monday.

Safety is in the hands of the Greens, who sit one place above Kimberley MW by a point – who themselves must face Ashby Ivanhoe and Hucknall Town. Town have to pick up more points than Kimberley, or else they will most likely be relegated - depending on the results of last week’s opponents Gresley Rovers - who are placed one ahead of Sleaford by two points.

A tight turnaround is in for Sleaford, who must face the challenge of two games within three days, not even something professional sides endure. A trip to Grantham is first up for Sleaford, who will play Newark & Sherwood United at The JRL Brickwork Stadium. “The Works” have found a permanent home hard to come by as of late, moving stadiums several times across the past few years. This looks to have been resolved for the future however after plans were revealed for a state of the art £1.5 million shipping container stadium that will provide 500 seats if approved. Construction is estimated to conclude in 2026, but until then it is likely Newark will continue to groundshare with Harrowby United.

United sit 14th in the table on 45 points, their season has been over for quite some time. This could provide a benefit to Matt Evans’s side, as a team with nothing to play for may be off the pace – much like when Town overcame Ashby Ivanhoe a few weeks prior. Newark have also lost 9 out of the last 10 matches, statistics such as these can give Town every bit of confidence of a result. Despite this however, Sleaford must be wary of a reaction from “Simmo’s”, yet another defeat for them would be unacceptable in the build-up to next season. Newark will be looking to use their undoubted attacking talent to have a positive effect on the game from their standpoint, with top scorer Kieran Cummings likely to be a threat once more. The marksman has hit 30 goals in 45 matches in all competitions this season, including a hattrick against Sleaford back in August, where The Green Army fell to a 5-3 defeat.

Easter Monday will see Sleaford close their season, against high flying Boston Town. The Poachers will be looking to build momentum over the Easter period, where a good run of form could carry over into the playoffs, giving a potential boost in their quest for promotion.

Established in 1963, Boston have regularly tasted success in the non-league game, including eight Lincolnshire Senior Trophies and two United Counties League Premier Division titles. They can also boast a strong Alumni, most notably including Finland international Robert Taylor, who pulled on the blue and white a solitary time whilst on loan in 2013. Taylor now plays alongside Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Sergio Busquets (amongst others) at Inter Miami in America - winning the Leagues Cup and the MLS Supporter’s Shield during his stay. He will be likely to feature at the Club World Cup this summer.

Monday’s visitors may prove to be one of the toughest games of the season for Sleaford, but safety may already have been secured by then with a win for The Greens and a loss for Kimberley. Regardless, facing a team in the top 5 will be a monumental challenge, especially as Boston could still be within a shot of 3rd place. Much like Newark & Sherwood, attacking remains a major threat for Boston. Leading scorer Harry Limb has netted 33 times in all competitions, and 26 in the league, the most out of any player in the division. Sleaford must keep him quiet to give them a chance of an unlikely result.

Sleaford manager Matt Evans has had his say on the final two, suggesting Town have every chance of obtaining their goals; “We need to do all that we can to keep our fate within our own hands” he states, “We've had several games where we felt we must win, so we have learnt what that feels like. Everyone is committed to doing the best they can and we can’t expect more than that”.

Having two games in such a short space of time can be hugely demanding, which Evans admits has been an issue; “Our big squad is proving useful. We've lost Harrison Leech due to the injury sustained against Gresley” he comments, “Anan got a red card whilst on loan which puts him out and young Conor has a shoulder injury” “Fortunately, Jonasz has trained with us and is keen to play having been back up at Grantham most of the season” “We've also lost Hendo to a back issue which adds to Physio George's workload”. Despite this, there is some positive news surrounding selection; “Harrison Ainslie and Jack Arbon are both back and raring to go” Evans reveals, “I'll be looking at getting the best possible blend from those that are available”.

⁠The boss remains forward looking, as Town can still control their destiny; “⁠It’s been the most competitive league in recent history” he suggests, “No club has gone down with the amount of points that the 19th placed team will finish with” “There is optimism among our group that staying up is achievable” “We have to remain focused on ourselves and not be distracted by others. There is a skill to that, and our lads are learning it”.

⁠Finally Matt is alluded to the challenge of two vastly different matches; “Both games are going to be challenging” he states, “A win against Newark and Sherwood plus a Kimberley loss makes Monday's game very different to other possible outcomes” “At the time of writing, the objective is simple: win our two remaining games and we are safe”.

Written by Oliver Burton