Match Preview

PREVIEW | CROMFORD & WIRKSWORTH TOWN (a)

THE LIONS BEGIN THE NEW YEAR WITH A TRIP TO CROMFORD

UP NEXT, after a single match in December, the Lions are hoping for a good pitch inspection at Cromford Meadows following a rain filled festive period. If the inspection is favourable, they will be facing Cromford & Wirksworth Town with a score to settle having tasted controversial defeat in the corresponding fixture last season.

On what isn’t a good pitch at the best of times, RBL will aim to get their 2024 half of the season off to a good start as they face a side sitting in mid table as the season resumes.

The final few weeks of 2023 gave the teams around RBL the opportunity to cement their positions at the top of the division, leaving the Lions with it all to do if they are to repeat or improve on last seasons’ second placed finish.

RBL’s last match was a high scoring county cup encounter against Mickleover Athletic at the Don Amott Arena. Having possibly underestimated their lower division opponents, the teams shared ten goals between them as RBL eventually ran out 6-4 winners. Goals from Dean Oliver, Emilio De Abreu and two each for Jordy Lee and Daniel Minto were enough to drag the team into the next round of the cup.

Cromford & Wirksworth Town’s last match was a lot more recent, as they thrashed Arnold Town last Wednesday at Cromford Meadow. Goals from Ben Cartwright, Jordan Watts, Luke Roper and Jake Wright gave the home side the points with a 4-1 victory and a three match unbeaten run which sees them currently occupying eleventh spot in the league, a significant drop from their fourth placed finish to the 2022-23 season.

RBL currently sit in fourth spot in the league, with games in hand on the teams above, while sixth placed Singh Brothers are a further three matches back, but on the same points as the Lions. Three points this weekend is a must, as the top six are separated by just eight points.

PREVIOUS MEETINGS

The last time the two sides met was in April last year, as the 2022-23 season drew to a very busy close with eleven further matches played in the following four weeks. A dominant RBL ran away 4-1 winners as goals from Mason Booth-Davis, Josh Lee, Ben Rushby and Josh Wright were answered by a single goal from Scott Taylor for the opposition.

The two sides met at Cromford in November 2022, where Cromford put the skids on an in-form RBL side, taking the home victory at Cromford Meadows with a late goal to finish 1-0. An angry and controversial encounter will no doubt add some needle to the return fixture this time around.

THIS WEEKEND

We hope that you enjoy what is sure to be a tough match on an awful pitch, as the Lions aim to get their new year off to a good start. Thank you for the continued support and know that the lads will be giving their all to try to get the result.

Kick off at the is at 14:00

See you then