Match Preview

PREVIEW | LINBY COLLIERY WELFARE (a)

BACK TO LEAGUE ACTION AFTER THURSDAY’S COUNTY CUP VICTORY

UP NEXT, attention returns to the league, as the Lions travel to Linby, where they face Linby Colliery Welfare. Just two days after the cup final penalty win over Derby Singh Brothers, the lads face a tough away match.

RBL find themselves in good form, having gone unbeaten in their last five matches and will want to continue in that manner ahead of their only remaining week with a single fixture.

Linby Colliery Welfare also come into the fixture in good form, having won three of their last five matches, losing the other two. One of those losses however, was facing Mickleover Reserves with the majority of their squad made up of first teamers will be seen as an anomaly and cannot really be taken into account.

Mickleover RBL’s last match was the Derbyshire FA Divisional Cup South final on Thursday night. As expected, a difficult match was played, against a very physical Singh Brothers side. Just ten minutes into the game, Singh’s goalkeeper can count himself as very lucky to remain on the field, having cleaned out Lee Hillier, with the RBL striker clean through on goal with no defenders anywhere near him. RBL edged a competitive first half, but were largely in control for the majority of the second half after going in front just five minutes into the half. With nine minutes of time somehow added to the end of the half, Singh Brothers threw everything at RBL and were rewarded with a headed goal on ninety five minutes to take the tie to penalties. RBL took the victory, winning 4-2. Daniel Minto bagged the winning penalty and Jimmy Hyslop in goal seeing the second Singh penalty hit his post and then making a save at 3-2 to set up Minto to score the winner.

Linby’s last match was a simple 5-0 home victory over relegation favourites, Mayfield. Joe Butler scored twice and a goal each for Ethan Fells and Zac Hamilton were accompanied by an own goal to wrap up an easy three points.

A LITTLE ABOUT THIS WEEKEND'S OPPOSITION

Linby Colliery Football Club is a football club from Linby in Nottinghamshire, England.
They were formed in 1892 and were known as Linby Colliery Welfare for a period during the 1990s and 2000s. In 2012–13 they started playing in the Central Midlands League South Division.
Their most significant achievement was reaching the 1st round proper of the FA Cup in 1950–51. In a cup run lasting seven rounds they won 4–0 at Boston United before playing Gillingham in the first round proper. They lost to Gillingham 1–4 at home on 25 November 1950, with Linby's goal scored by Ralph 'Dickie' Dulson, father of future Port Vale star Garry Dulson.
In 1975–76 the club became founder members of the Midland County League Division One.

PREVIOUS MEETINGS

The last time the two sides met was early in the season as the Lions hosted a 2-2 draw at the legion. RBL were under pressure immediately, as Ashdon Bernard scored twice in the first five minutes for Linby. The now-departed Mason Booth-Davis brought RBL back into things on sixteen minutes and Josh Lee levelled on seventy five.

Prior to this season, the last time the sides met was in May 2023, as the Lions charged towards their runners up spot in the league for the 2022-23 season. A straightforward 3-1 victory was settled with goals from Mike Ryan, Lee Fell and Cole Hassall.

The away fixture at Eagle Valley last season was in February, with RBL coming home with a 2-0 victory. Jordy Lee and Sam Vickers on the scoresheet on that occasion.

In the 2021-22 season, at the Royal British Legion, RBL ran out easy 4-0 winners. Two goals each for Lewis Durow and Owen Brader did the damage as the Lions finished the season strongly.

The earlier fixture at Eagle Valley was in October 2021. Another easy win for RBL saw a Sam Vickers hat trick, a brace from Lee Hillier and a Liam Oliver goal as the Lions ran away 6-1 winners

THIS WEEKEND

We hope that plenty of supporters are able to join us for the match. There is plenty of parking space at the ground. We hope that you enjoy what is sure to be a good match, as the Lions aim to close in on the teams above them. 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 15:00

See you then