UP NEXT, it’s top versus bottom as the first team returns to their temporary home at Greenwich Avenue as they host a resurgent Ashby Ivanhoe in the league.

With things looking very tight at the top of the table, the miners will be keen to add to their recent record of six wins from the last seven matches and a fourth win in a row. A win will keep them top, but a loss could see them slip as far as sixth.

Ashby Ivanhoe made a dreadful start to the season, losing their first seven matches, but a good home win against Belper United and a league cup win sees the shoots of recovery emerging. The visitors will no doubt be hoping to continue this revival with a win against the surprise league leaders.

On Saturday, Kimberley switched a home tie against Dunkirk in the league cup to the opposition's home ground. This proved to be a big gamble as the match ended up being a lot closer than expected. Dunkirk applied the early pressure and were almost rewarded in the first three minutes as a shot came back off the post. Kimberley did not learn from this and Dunkirk took the lead minutes later as a long throw-in wasn't cleared, leaving Lewis Williams to finish from close range for Dunkirk. Kimberley were left to chase the game for majority of the first half but lacked the quality to get back on terms before half time. The miners pulled the finger out in the second half as captain, Josh Timson equalised, followed by Ollie ball opening his account for the club four minutes later with what would turn out to be the winner in a slim 2-1 victory. Dunkirk did themselves proud in the match and can take heart from a great performance.

Ashby’s last match was also against opposition from the division below in the league cup last weekend. They travelled to West Bridgford in what appeared to be a very straightforward match at Regatta Way. First half goals from Rumai Johnson and Will Robson put them ahead at the break. Johnson added to his tally before Cazley-Richards pulled a consolation back for West Bridgford in a 3-1 win for Ashby.

LAST TIME AROUND

The two sides last met in the penultimate match of last season at The Stag Ground for the last time in 2025. Despite having the better of the first half an hour, Kimberley failed to capitalise and didn’t test the visiting goalkeeper. Ashby came into the game and were rewarded midway through the second half after a tame shot wasn’t dealt with and was followed up for a close range finish.

Earlier that season, in October, Ashby scored twice in each half through Sam Grouse and Will Robson both times for a comfortable 4-0 win.

The two sides also met in the Sports Ground Development Cup in September. The match was meant to be played at Ashby, but the fixture was moved to the Stag Ground to get the game played. An early goal set the pattern of the game for Ashby, followed by a goal on the half hour mark to put the visitors 2-0 up. Kimberley pushed in the second half, but a third goal for Ashby, eight minutes from time saw them through to the next round of the cup.

Last season, the two sides met in December. In front of a crowd of 237, the sides went into halftime with the score at 0-0. The second half saw both sides hit the back of the net through Dylan Reason and Macauley Holmes respectively. Michael Pearson was given his marching orders for a second yellow card just after the hour mark.

The sides met again at the Stag in October in the league cup. Sam Grouse scored the only goal of the game for Ashby. Pearson in the book again for Kimberley.

The league match at Ashby was in mid August of 2023. Grouse, Harrison and Carta all on the scoresheet for the home side in a 3-0 Ashby win.

A LITTLE ABOUT THE OPPOSITION

Ashby Ivanhoe Football Club was founded in 1948 and play their home matches at the NFU Sports Ground, Lower Packington Road, Ashby de la Zouch in Leicestershire, which they moved to in 2012, and purchased in 2021. Before that, the club had played at Hood Park from when they were formed in 1948, until the end of the 2011/12 season.
The club currently consists of two adult teams, the first team are in step 5 of the United Counties League Premier Division North and the Knights are at step 6 in the Everards Brewery Senior League Premier Division.
The club has forty youth teams, covering both boys and girls.
The 2022/23 season was one for the record books and it was quite fitting that during the year the club celebrated its 75th Anniversary, the Senior and Junior sections, both thrived bringing home a whole raft of silverware and promotions. The First Team fought eventual league winners Dudley Town all the way to the end and finished 2nd place - the highest league position that the club has ever finished. This led to a home play-off Semi-Final, which saw us narrowly beat OJM Black Country 1-0 to reach the Play-Off Final. The Play-Off Final was a momentous day in the history of the club as it would see us beat Droitwich Spa 2-1 with a last-minute Joel Carta goal in front of a packed NFU crowd of 1023 to seal promotion and bring Step 5 to the town for the first time ever.

Honours

East Midlands Counties Football League
League Cup Runners Up: 2016/2017
Leicestershire Senior League
Premier Division Champions: 2010/2011
Division One Winners: 2022/23
Division One Runners Up: 2007/2008
North Leicestershire Football League
Premier Division Champions: 1994/1995, 1996/1997 1998/1999, 2002/2003
Premier Division Runners-Up: 1997/1998, 2004/2005
Cobbin Trophy Winners: 1996/1997
Chairmans Shield Winners: 1995/1996, 1996/1997
Leicestershire Senior Cup Winners: 2022/23 Runners Up: 2011/2012, 2012/2013
Coalville Charity Cup
Winners: 2010/2011
Runners Up: 2002/2003
Midland Football League
Division One Play Off Final Winners: 2022/23
Presidents Trophy Winners: 2022/23

FINALLY

Both sides will be looking for a win but for different reasons. Kimberley, backed as always by the fantastic ultras will want to take the points to maintain their early charge at the top of the league, while Ashby will be desperate to continue their revival and give themselves a chance of climbing off the foot of the table.

There’s plenty of parking and the bar will be open.

Admission is £7 for adults, £4 for concessions, U16’s go free with a paying adult. GOLD MEMBERS GET IN FREE

Saturdays match is very kindly sponsored by Precision Precast. Thank you very much for your support.

Kick off is at 15:00

See you there