The Greens will hope to end what has been an eventful year on a high with what would be a first win eleven games in all competitions. Those points – should they be won – would be most welcome too as the Greens increasingly find themselves being dragged into the rat-race at the bottom end of United Counties League Premier Division North. The Greens 4-0 defeat to Bourne Town on Saturday afternoon, coupled with Deeping Rangers’ 2-2 draw with Skegness Town cut the gap to the danger-zone down to just four points ahead the festive period as the realities of the Greens turbulent 2024 begin to come to the fore.

Saturday’s 4-0 reversal to Bourne Town was as comprehensive as the scoreline suggests with the Greens not even threatening Dan Swan’s goal until Ryan Flitton’s tame header in stoppage time at the end of the 90. Before that, the Greens had an impressive Harrison Leech in goal to thank for the scoreline not being worse that quadruple the Wakes bagged as he made a string of fine saves to prevent further embarrassment.

Manager Matt Evans admitted from the outset of his post-match debrief that the Greens were beaten ‘by the best team we’ve played all season,’ but was nonetheless philosophical about how the Greens can take heart from the project currently bearing fruit a few miles down the A15. ‘Sticking together’ was the overriding theme in the aftermath of Saturday’s game and the Greens will need to channel that siege mentality as they face up to another form opposition with stretched resources. Finlay Armond remains unavailable for the Greens on Boxing Day after missing Saturday’s clash with Bourne Town while there will also be two defensive absentees in the form of Ben Ashall and Jack Arbon who are both out of Boxing Day’s encounter through injury. In better news, Ryan Flitton made a welcome return to action as a substitute against Bourne at the weekend while Ben Robson will also return to action after serving his one-match suspension for an accumulation of yellow cards.

If the Greens are to record a much needed three point haul though, they’ll once again do it as underdogs as they bump into another of Premier Division North’s form sides – Boston Town. The Poachers began the campaign with four straight victories, topping the table at the conclusion of that sequence. In fact, by mid-September, the Poachers had lost just twice in league action – both to title chasing opposition in Lincoln United and Eastwood Community. Four straight defeats after that led to manager Martyn Bunce taking his leave from the club and being replaced by former Lincoln United manager Chris Funnell who has since led an admirable revival in South Lincolnshire.

Two defeats in their last eight has re-established the Poachers in the play-off picture going into the New Year, but gaffer Funnell will certainly want more from his side in an attacking sense with Town now three games without a goal since a 3-0 victory over Hucknall Town on December 7th. It’s been a strange turn of form too – goals not much of issue in previous months, particularly with one of the league’s hottest properties Harry Limb leading the line with 21 goals in 25 games. Off the pitch, the two managers will need little introduction to each other with Greens gaffer Matt Evans serving as Poachers boss Chris Funnell’s assistant at Lincoln United last season – adding further intrigue to the latest instalment of one Lincolnshire’s oldest derby clashes.

Boxing Day’s clash represents a 35th meeting between the two Lincolnshire rivals in all-competitions. The Greens were twice defeated 2-0 by the Poachers last season in league action including a first home defeat for over 10 years. The Greens have neither scored, nor won against the Poachers since a January 2023 meeting saw a brace from Joe Smith edge Town out, 2-1, in January 2023 – Smith also on the scoresheet alongside Jacob Fenton in a September 2022 meeting at Tattershall Road.

Admission to the Mortgages4You Stadium on Thursday afternoon is priced at £7 for adults and £5 for concessions with u-16’s free of charge (alongside a paying adult). The clubs matchday programme will be on sale on the turnstiles for £1.50 per copy also. Thursday’s match referee is Aimee Keir, and she is assisted on the day by Giles Elson and Mark Bruntlett. Kick-off is set for 3:00pm.