UP NEXT, in our second match of the Easter break, we welcome our nearest neighbours Eastwood CFC to The Stag Ground on what we hope will be a record breaking Bank Holiday Monday with glorious sunny weather forecasted for the afternoon as we open the doors to our fantastic new clubhouse at midday. After a twelve goal thriller at Coronation Park in December, we expect fireworks at The Stag Ground this afternoon.

Kimberley go into the match winless in five after again letting a lead slip on Saturday away at Ashby Ivanhoe. With three big matches left to finish the league campaign and a break until the county cup final, it is essential that the miners find some form over the next few weeks. While still mathematically possible, Kimberley will feel safe from the drop as Harrowby are eight points adrift of third from bottom and Newark & Sherwood have taken voluntary relegation. This means that a mid table finish is likely provided a few more points can be taken from the last three matches.

Eastwood CFC will be going all guns blazing into this match as they currently sit five points outside the playoffs with two games to play. Maximum points and two losses in a row from either Newark Town or Belper United would see the Red Badgers sneak into an unlikely playoff spot. The first few months of the season will be seen as costing Eastwood a place in the playoffs, as just three wins from the first ten league matches gave them a mountain to climb. The recovery, however, has been enough to see them hovering on the edge of the playoffs, winning five of their last six games.

Kimberley’s last match was on Saturday as they made the trip to face Ashby Ivanoe at the Element Ground. On his one hundredth appearance for the club, Josh Timson grabbed his sixteenth goal of the season on the half hour mark, turning and slotting from fifteen yards after good work from the returning Fin Ryder. For the second game in a row, the miners threw away the lead as Will Robson equalised for Ashby with eleven minutes to go.
Final Score - Ashby Ivanhoe 1-1 Kimberley Miners Welfare

Eastwood CFC made the trip to face Deeping Rangers on Saturday as they continued their late charge towards a more than likely unavailable playoff spot. Ex-Miner, Romello Nangle opened the scoring and Archie White doubled the lead in four minutes before half time. Harry Wood made it three on the hour mark before Josh Randall grabbed one back six minutes late. Kieran Hayes wrapped things up on the stroke of full time to make it a fifth win from six.
Final Score - Deeping Rangers 1-4 Eastwood CFC

LAST TIME AROUND

In the Christmas break, Kimberley made the short trip to Coronation Park for the second time this season as they faced a resurgent Eastwood CFC. The hosts flew into a six goal lead after just thirty six minutes with Sacha Markelic having a goal disallowed for Kimberley in between. Josh Timson and Sacha Markelic grabbed goals back for the miners in two injury time minutes to take the score into half time at 6-2 to Eastwood with Kimberley making two substitutions before the break. Timson bagged his second two minutes after the restart and returning captain Ryan Wheatley grabbed a disputed fourth for the miners two minutes later. Timson then hit the woodwork, denying him his hat trick. Markelic grabbed his second on the hour mark to make it 6-5. Another player returning from injury, Michael Pearson hit a post from twenty five years, only for Eastwood to then go up the other end and wrap the game up with a seventh. A disgraceful first half from the miners was evened up by the hosts falling asleep for the second half in a game full of excitement and goals but severely lacking in defensive quality from both sides.
Final Score - Eastwood CFC 7-5 KMW

Kimberleys last Ikea Derby against neighbours Eastwood CFC at The Stag Ground in February last year. A scrappy match saw Derek O'Connor open the scoring for Eastwood in the first half. A deflected free kick from Terry Hawkridge doubled the lead on 70 minutes. Aaron Coyle grabbed a goal back to set up a tense finish, but yet another "Fergie Time" goal conceded, this time to ex-Nottingham Forest star, Craig Westcarr consigned the Miners to a 3-1 defeat. A spirited performance, but the result was never really in doubt after the first half opener. The pitch after the match was ruined, impacting a fixture the following day.

The two sides met in mid August at Coronation Park. In a fairly even first half, Alex Troke netted mid half for Eastwood. Kimberley would go into half time feeling hard done to having created the better chances in the half and were unlucky not to go into the break ahead. The second half, however, was an all too familiar story. Having done so well in the first half, Kimberley suffered several defensive lapses, along with Eastwood stepping things up. Troke scored his second midway through the half, with Craig Westcarr scoring just two minutes later. Tyler Blake scored with eight minutes to go for the match to finish 4-0 to Eastwood.

The two sides met four times the previous season. Most recently, in April last year, with Eastwood taking the points through a brace from Terry Atem

The sides met earlier in the season in the Nottinghamshire Cup, again at Eastwood. Atem scored again, along with Marcus Marshall and Derek O’Connor for a 3-0 win to the Red Badgers.

The earlier league fixture at the Stag took place at the end of August last year. Eastwood, again took the result through a 96th minute winner from Kyle Tomlin for the only goal of the game.

The first time the sides met last season was in the FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round, again at Coronation Park. Tomlin again scored for Eastwood, along with a brace from O’Connor. This time, Kimberley were able to score through Aaron Coyle, which equalised at the time, but Eastwood went on to score twice more, to take the result.

A LITTLE ABOUT THE OPPOSITION

The club was formed in 2014 following the folding of Eastwood Town. They joined the South Division of the Central Midlands League and entered the FA Vase for the first time a year later. After finishing as runners-up in the South Division in 2016–17, the club won the division the following season and were promoted to the East Midlands Counties League.

In 2021 Eastwood were promoted to the Premier Division North of the United Counties League based on their results in the abandoned 2019–20 and 2020–21 seasons.

The club's nickname is the Red Badgers.

Honours
Central Midlands League - South Division champions 2017–18

FINALLY

Both sides will be doing all they can to take the points this weekend. Kimberley will want to put in a performance in front of a large crowd at the end of the season, while Eastwood will know it’s win or bust. Either way, local bragging rights will be on offer, with the miners wanting to take a win over their neighbours for the first time in years.

PLEASE BE AWARE OF OUR UNDER 16’S POLICY. NO UNDER 16 WILL BE ALLOWED INTO THE GROUND UNLESS ACCOMPANIED BY A PAYING AND RESPONSIBLE ADULT. JUNIOR MINERS MEMBERS ARE THE ONLY EXCEPTION TO THIS RULE.

Kick off is at 15:00 and the clubhouse will be open from midday.

See you there