Match Preview

PREVIEW | NOTTINGHAM (h)

FIRSTS PLAY THEIR FIRST “HOME” MATCH OF THE SEASON AT ROLLS ROYCE

Up this week, RBL will switch to a temporary home at Rolls Royce Leisure, where they host Nottingham in the second match of the new season.

After a disappointing opening match defeat against AFC Normanton, the Lions will hope for a much improved performance as they face a Nottingham side who have yet to kick off their campaign.

After last seasons’ league runners up position was accompanied by winning the Buckingham Insurance League Challenge Cup, expectations will be high on RBL to perform this season. With the reserves team folding, and one or two incoming players, manager Garry Smith should have plenty to choose from for the season ahead.

Top of the agenda is recovering from last Tuesday night's away defeat to AFC Normanton. A poor performance saw RBL concede in both halves to lose the match 2-0 and find themselves rooted to the bottom of the division after the first match. Tuesday night’s match will be a test of character as they aim to tighten up at the back against a side whom they conceded nine against towards the end of last season in a ridiculous home 8-9 defeat.

Nottingham will look to kick off the season with the same result, if not the score of the last encounter between the two sides. A poor showing last season saw Nottingham finish third from bottom in the league with a large goal deficit. Their last league match saw them lose to league champions 3-0 on the final day of last season. They will surely look at this fixture as a chance to start the season in style against last years’ runners up.

With both teams in need of a win, one to kick start the season and the other to start the season positively, a feisty encounter may be expected for the match on Tuesday evening.

PREVIOUS MEETINGS

The two sides last met in May, after RBL had wrapped up second spot in the final league standings for the season. Eleven first half goals saw RBL lead 6-5 at half time. Another six in the second half saw Nottingham turn the match around to win 9-8, with Chris Okoye scoring six times.

The reverse fixture earlier in the season was also a high scoring affair, with RBL taking the points with a 6-2 away victory. Goals from Josh Lee, Jordy Lee twice, Mason Booth-Davis, Lee Hillier and Dean Oliver sealed the victory.

The season before, in May, RBL ran away comfortable victors, as two goals from Matt Green were followed by Dean Oliver and Josh Wright to take a 4-1 victory at Melbourne Park.

It was a similar story in October of that season as the Lions won 3-0 at the legion. A Jordan Lee hat trick doing the damage this time around.

Kick off will be at 18:35

See you then