UP NEXT, following successful passage into the next round of the Nottinghamshire Senior Cup, the first team is back in cup action in the first round proper of the league cup. This time around, they welcome Eynesbury Rovers from UCL Premier Division South, whom they faced last season in round two. With Basford United having a home match today, Kimberley have moved to Ilkeston Town’s Microlise New Manor Ground for today’s fixture.

Kimberley Miners Welfare go into the match on the back of winning the United Counties League Premier Division North team of the month. This was achieved by remaining unbeaten for the whole of September, winning six and drawing just once in seven matches.

Eynesbury will come to Ilkeston in mixed form, having won three and lost three from six matches played in September. With all of the losses coming away from home, the Rovers will be very keen to change that today against an opposition whom they overcame in the same competition last season.

Kimberley’s last match was on Tuesday night as they travelled to Forest Town to face AFC Mansfield in the Nottinghamshire Senior Cup. A goalless 90 minutes led to penalties. Up stepped Tom Smith in goal, who saved two spot kicks to give Kimberley passage into the next round.

Eynesbury Rovers’ last match was on Saturday as they welcomed Daventry Town in the league. Scott Joseph opened the scoring for Eynesbury after just five minutes. A Nathan Burrows strike levelled things up ten minutes before half time. Luke Young settled things and sealed the win for Eynesbury twenty minutes from full time, giving them a third league win of the season.
Final Score - Eynesbury Rovers 2-1 Daventry Town

LAST TIME AROUND

The two sides met at The Stag Ground in round two of the league cup last season. A hard fought match ended 0-0 at full time, with Eynesbury winning on penalties.

A LITTLE ABOUT THE OPPOSITION

The club was established in 1897. After playing friendly matches, they joined the Biggleswade & District League, before switching to the St Neots Junior League. The club won the league in 1910–11 and went on to win their first major honour, the Hunts Senior Cup, in 1913–14. They won the Hunts Junior Cup in 1921, 1927 and 1932, and were champions of Division Two of the Bedford & District League in 1926–27, 1930–31 and 1931–32. In 1934 they joined Division Two of the South Midlands League and were promoted to Division One at the end of the first season in the league, which saw them finish as Division Two runners-up. After World War II the club switched to the United Counties League. They won the Hunts Senior Cup four times between 1946 and 1951, and the Hunts Premier Cup in 1951, before joining the Eastern Counties League in 1952, becoming the most westerly club ever to play in the league.

Eynesbury won the Hunts Senior Cup again in 1954–55 and 1956–57. However, financial problems forced the club to revert to amateur status. In 1960–61 they failed to win a league match all season and gained only three points, finishing bottom of the league. Although they won the Cambridgeshire Invitation Cup the following season, in 1962–63 they again finished bottom of the league and left to rejoin the United Counties League. They continued to struggle, finishing in the bottom two for five of the next eight seasons, although they did win the Senior Cup again in 1969–70. At the end of the 1971–72 season they finished bottom again and were relegated. In 1976–77 they won the (now-renamed) Division One and were promoted back to the Premier Division. The club won the Hunts Senior Cup in 1984–85 and then three times in a row between 1990–91 and 1992–93. Further wins were achieved in 1995–96 and 1999–2000.

In 2000–01 Eynesbury finished bottom of the Premier Division and were relegated to Division One. The following season they won their fifteenth Senior Cup. In 2012–13 the club were Division One runners-up and promoted to the Premier Division. They won the Senior Cup again in 2016–17. At the end of the 2018–19 season the club were transferred to the Premier Division of the Spartan South Midlands League. Two seasons later they were transferred back to the United Counties League, joining the Premier Division South.

In May 2025 Eynesbury Rovers won the United Counties League Cup for the first time, beating Lincoln United F.C. 2-0 in the final.

Honours

United Counties League - Division One champions 1976–77
Bedford & District League - Division Two champions 1926–27, 1930–31, 1931–32
St Neots Junior League - Champions 1910–11
Hunts Premier Cup - Winners 1950–51, 1990–91, 1995–96
Hunts Senior Cup - Winners 1913–14, 1946–47, 1948–49, 1949–50, 1950–51, 1954–55, 1956–57, 1969–70, 1984–85, 1990–91, 1991–92, 1992–93, 1995–96, 1999–2000, 2001–02, 2016–17
Hunts Junior Cup - Winners 1920–21, 1926–27, 1931–32
Cambridgeshire Invitation Cup - Winners 1961–62
United Counties League Cup - Winners 2024-25

FINALLY

Kimberley will want to keep their fantastic run going, with interest in the league as well as today's league cup, FA Vase and county cup all in the spotlight. A performance is essential if the boys are to keep themselves in the hat for the next round.

Eynesbury will want to use today’s match to kick start their season and get back to back wins for the second time this campaign. After finishing in the playoffs last season, an upturn in form will be high on the list of priorities for today's visitors.

We expect a very exciting match at the New Manor Ground

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

Admission is £7 for adults, £4 for concessions. Under 16’s get in for free if accompanied by a paying adult.

Kick off is at 15:00

See you there