UP NEXT, it’s a local derby between two of the homeless clubs of the division as we welcome Heanor Town to our temporary home at Greenwich Avenue. Work continues on the foundations for the new clubhouse and changing rooms at The Stag Ground, which sees the miners at Basford United for the foreseeable future.

After a disappointing last ten minutes on Saturday saw Kimberley knocked off top spot, they remain unbeaten in four matches in all competitions, losing just once in their last eight matches in all competitions. A win could see Kimberley move back to top spot depending on other results, while a loss could see them drop out of the top five.

Heanor Town are also playing their home matches at a different venue this season as the Town Ground undergoes some major redevelopment work as they have just received planning permission for a new 3G pitch and car park. Heanor will be looking to get back on track on Tuesday night after a minor slip up in their last couple of matches. Having just missed out on a playoff spot last season, the Lions would see the match against Kimberley as the ideal place to start their push to improve on last seasons’ performance.

Kimberley’s last match was on Saturday as they welcomed bottom side Ashby Ivanhoe to Greenwich Avenue. In what was a very comfortable first half, the Miners took the lead through Josh Timson. The scoreline at half time remained at 1-0 despite the hosts dominating proceedings. The second half went pretty much the same as the first, with Kimberley pushing for more goals. Timson grabbed his second early in the half. Kimberley continued to create chances, but were unable to add to their tally. They were made to pay for the wastefulness in front of goal as Ashby grabbed a goal back on 82 through Sam Birks. Three minutes later, a cross was delivered into the Kimberley area and was claimed by goalkeeper Tom Smith, only for an Ashby played to bundle into Smith, making him drop the ball into his own goal. Rather than signal for a foul on the goalkeeper, the referee inexplicably gave a goal, robbing Kimberley of two points as the game ended 2-2. Kimberley will feel hard done to, but should really have put the game to bed themselves way earlier in the game.

Heanor's last match was at their temporary home at the Microlise New Manor Ground, home of step three side Ilkeston Town. There, they hosted Blackstones. Jamie Sleigh opened the scoring for Heanor on sixteen minutes. The home side were pegged back on the stroke of half time as Edward Thorpe equalised for Blackstones. The visitors wrapped up the match just seven minutes after the interval through Josh Sennett. Final Score Heanor Town 1-2 Blackstones

LAST TIME AROUND

In the lead up to last Christmas, the Miners made the short trip to Heanor Town to play on possibly the worst pitch so far this season after the rain in the week, and in horrifically windy weather. In a first half where the miners were kicking uphill and into the wind, Heanor had the territorial advantage, making use of the weather to aid a long ball down field for their quick strikers to carve out chances. One of these long balls paid off, as the Heanor goalkeeper kicked big, to see the ball drop in between the two Kimberley centre halves and the onrushing goalkeeper for the Heanor striker to nip in between the confused trio and slide the ball past Allsop in goal for 1-0 to the home side. Kimberley came out a different side in the second half. Being more on the front foot, the miners created plenty of early chances themselves, only for Alfie Roberts in the Heanor goal to pull off a couple of fantastic saves to keep the Lions ahead. Following substitutions, Kimberley drew level with twenty minutes to go as Ben Morley floated a diagonal ball into the box for Aaron Coyle to nod over the onrushing goalkeeper and draw level at 1-1. Just five minutes later, Heanor restored their lead as a low effort trickled under Allsop for the match to finish 2-1 to the hosts. Kimberley were left wondering what would’ve been as they made their way home.

They previously met at the beginning of September at The Stag Ground. Kimberley opened the scoring as ex-captain Sam Brown put the ball into his own net following a cross from Dan Tuck. Brown finished the cross off as if he was still wearing the red and black of the miners. Carl Demidh equalised with ten minutes to half time. In the second half, Dan Tuck scored a twenty yarder to round off a stunning performance on his part. Substitute, Mason Booth-Davis equalised again for Heanor for the match to finish 2-2.

In the last game of last season, Kimberley travelled to Heanor for a second of two local derbies to end the season. An exciting match saw Heanor take the lead after just two minutes through Jamie Sleigh. Josh Mundell equalised just four minutes later for the Miners. Keaton August completed a twelve minute flurry as Heanor regained the lead, only for them to extend it to 3-1 on twenty minutes through Josh Craddock. Aaron Coyle got a goal back for Kimberley just after the break before Sacha Markelic restored the two goal cushion just ten minutes later. Coyle scored again for Kimberley five minutes from the end to set up a tense finish to the game. 4-3 to Heanor.

The earlier fixture of last season came way back in September at the Stag Ground. A Jordan Sowerby goal was enough to take the points for the Miners on that occasion.

A LITTLE ABOUT THE OPPOSITION

Heanor Town FC was established in 1883 in a meeting at the Rays Arms Hotel. In 1890 they were founder members of the Midland Amateur Alliance. The club reached the first round of the FA Cup in 1891–92, losing 4–1 at Aston Villa. When the league folded in 1893 they joined the Derbyshire Senior League, winning it at the first attempt, also reaching the first round of the FA Cup again, this time losing 1–0 at Nottingham Forest. The club then moved up to the Midland League, where they played for three seasons, with another FA Cup first round appearance in 1896–97 ending with a 1–0 defeat to Southampton St Mary's in a replay.

Fast forward a few years and in 2008, Heanor were founder members of the East Midlands Counties League. They were league champions in 2011–12, earning promotion to the Premier Division of the Northern Counties East League. After three seasons back in the league, the club were transferred to the Premier Division of the new Midland League in 2014.[3] At the end of the 2017–18 season they took voluntary demotion to the East Midlands Counties League despite finishing in mid-table. In 2021 the club 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.

Honours
Central Alliance
Division One North champions 1956–57, 1957–58
Central Combination
Champions 1933–34
Derbyshire Senior League
Champions 1893–94
East Midlands Counties League
Champions 2011–12
Central Midlands League
Supreme Division champions 1994–95, 1996–97
League Cup winners 2006–07
Derbyshire Senior Cup
Winners 1892–93, 1893–94, 1965–66, 1966–67, 1967–68, 1968–69, 1970–71, 1978–79

FINALLY

Both sides will be looking for a win, for local rivalry, as well as the position in the league. As both sides dropped points at the weekend, a win could be seen as essential if either are to maintain their good early season form.

We expect an exciting match.

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

The match is sponsored by our good friends at The Stag Inn. Thank you so much for your support.

Kick off is at 20:00

See you there