The Greens return to home soil with a mathematical chance of returning to 3rd in the Premier Division North but will need to rely on favours from elsewhere on Monday evening to finish there come the end of the campaign. Their cause for promotion has not been aided over the last week with back-to-back defeats – albeit for the first time this season in league action – to first Quorn FC last Saturday and then Anstey Nomads on Tuesday evening. The Greens put in a commendable display at the Callingtons Community Complex but were ultimately powerless to stop the Nomads lifting the Premier Division North title and with it, that elusive automatic promotion spot to step four. The Greens had actually taken the lead in Leicestershire when a fantastic, pinpoint cross from Ryan Rushen was headed home by Jacob Fenton to leave the hosts shellshocked. The visitors threat was somewhat nullified shortly after though when star man Fenton was forced to withdraw through injury and the Greens settled back into a solid defensive shape. And that defence was doing a fine job too until just short of the hour mark when Luis Rose set-up Shay Brennan with a freekick routine to bring the Nomads level. Content with not just a point, the Greens came under plenty of pressure which finally told in freak circumstances in the first minute of stoppage time, when Sam Hollis’ effort from the edge of the box caught Joe Braithwaite, and looped right over Liam Flitton and into the net to spark jubilant celebrations.

Player/Manager Tom Ward will certainly have his fingers crossed regarding the fitness of Tuesday’s goal-scorer Jacob Fenton – particularly with today and Wednesday’s Knockout Cup Semi-Final on the horizon. He was replaced on the night by Rodrigo Goncalves, who certainly caused the Nomads enough trouble of his own - and he’ll be hoping to keep that position in the team for the contest against the Highwaymen. Elsewhere Joe Butler will hope to return after missing the contest at Anstey and Quorn through a niggling injury that saw him drop off the bench prior to kick-off on Tuesday evening. Ryan Rushen returned to the starting line-up in midweek after missing the Greens defeat at Quorn and he’ll hope to continue his involvement in attack after delivering that fantastic assist for Fenton on Tuesday.

Visitors Newark and Sherwood United meanwhile have enjoyed a strong first campaign under their new name and are set to finish quite comfortably amongst the Premier Division North’s top ten. It is in stark contrast then, to this time last season when the Highwaymen retained their step five status by just a single point. By that stage the club had already hit significant financial difficulties and were ground sharing at Basford United in Nottingham after being evicted from their Lowfield’s home in Newark the season before. To the clubs’ credit though they took stock last summer and a rebrand, coupled with a move closer to home – to Collingham FC’s Station Road – has seen them flourish this campaign and the club firmly re-establishing themselves as one of Nottinghamshire’s leading non-league sides.

While the Greens were succumbing to defeat at Anstey Nomads on Tuesday evening the Highwaymen were enjoying a 3-1 triumph on the Parish Ground at Selston FC. That recorded them back-to-back victories for the first time since February after another 3-1 victory, this time over AFC Mansfield at Station Road, was recorded last Saturday. That win bought to an end a damaging run of just one win in eleven contests that ultimately caused terminal damage to the Highwaymen’s hopes of a top five finish. That one victory did arrive at the expense of Anstey Nomads though who recorded just a second defeat overall, and to date their only defeat on their travels at Station Road in early March. That result looked like it could kick-start a profitable run-in for the Highwaymen but they then went six games without a win including a heart-breaking last minute equaliser conceded to Kimberley Miners Welfare in an entertaining 4-4 draw.

The club still have a lot to be proud of this season though and they have more than caused their fair share of trouble to many sides across the Division. Consecutive wins on the road at Sherwood Colliery (0-1) and then Heanor Town (0-2) are a sure sign of the Highwaymen’s abilities to mix it with the big boys in the Premier Division North. There have also been some impressive scorelines across the campaign too with 4-0 and 4-1 victories recorded over Pinchbeck United, 5-0 and 4-0 triumphs over Eastwood Community and most notably, an 8-1 thrashing of Selston at Station Road. The club also have a cup final to look forward to having made progress through to the Nottinghamshire Senior Cup final where they’ll face Carlton Town of the Northern Premier League Division One East. The final of that competition had been due to take place at Notts. County’s Meadow Lane ground but after some controversy, has now been moved to Eastwood Community.

Nevertheless, the Highwaymen have a great opportunity to end the season with silverware and a top-10 league finish, a mighty achievement for the club considering their recent history. They’ve done it too with a sprinkling of difficulty and controversy this season too, most notably when manager Nathan Arnold left to take up the post at Northern Premier League Division One East side Cleethorpes Town. He was replaced by well-respected player Jonathan D’Laryea who has kept this Newark side more than in contention in trying circumstances. They are of course a side full of quality and dusted nicely with wide-ranging experience and plenty of United Counties League experience too. Ryley Thompson, formerly of Boston Town, has been a mainstay throughout the campaign for the visitors, while fellow former Boston Town man Luke White has coupled his integral involvement with goals too – scoring a club high of 23 this campaign. Elsewhere the Greens will be wary of the goalscoring threats of both Kian Sketchley and Nyle Blake who have both netted against them so far this campaign – particularly that of Blake who sits second on the scoring charts at Station Road with 21 strikes to his name.

The two sides have been regular opponents this campaign with Saturday’s league meeting set to be the fourth of the season. The two sides first met way back on a sodden night in August when the Greens ran out 4-1 winners in front of 239 spectators at Station Road. The hosts had taken the lead through Kian Sketchley’s first half strike before Ryan Rushen equalised for the Greens with the final kick of the first half. The visitors then proved too hot to handle during a second half blitz that saw them take the game away from the Highwaymen in five minutes. First Jacob Fenton put the Greens in front for the first time, before Ryan Rushen then remarkably made it 3-1 with a stunning effort from inside his own half. The scoring was complete just two minutes later when Fenton then drilled home a fourth to leave most inside Station Road stunned. The second meeting, also at a soaked Station Road saw the Highwaymen make FA Vase progress on penalties after a 0-0 draw in normal time in which the Greens played most of with 10-men following Charlie Ward’s sending off. The most recent meeting saw the Greens take cup revenge with a 3-2 victory at The Longwater Stadium to setup a first ever Knockout Cup semi-final. The Greens dominated the first period and goals from Joe Smith, Jacob Fenton and Ryan Rushen saw the hosts steam into an ultimately unassailable 3-0 lead. The visitors certainly gave the Greens a scare though when Nyle Blake and then James Gardner powered home inside the opening 10-minutes of the second half, but the Greens held on in the end to secure a semi-final date with Anstey Nomads.

A reminder that Saturday’s contest is part of a wider day of activities at the club as we celebrate our Centenary Day at The Longwater Stadium. The action gets underway at 11.30AM when Sleaford Veterans face off against a Sleaford Legends team. That is followed by the main action at 3PM, before a talk from former England and Manchester United and QPR legend Paul Parker at 6PM, and then a live band take to the stage to take us through the evening. Sandwiched between will be a rather impressive auction of sporting memorabilia. Our standard entrance fees of £6 for adults and £3 for concessions stand until 5.30PM after which entry is free. We’ll also be providing live Twitter commentary throughout the day and these are, as always, sponsored by our wonderful friends at Sleafordian Coaches. We’ll also have copies of our popular matchday programme ‘Green Army’ on sale at the turnstiles for £1.50 – this week featuring an interview with midfielder, Finlay Armond.

Words: Oliver Atkin