UP NEXT, after the narrow penalties win at the weekend in the league cup, attention turns back to the league on Tuesday night as we welcome high flying Sherwood Colliery to Greenwich Avenue.

Kimberley will go into the match having regained some confidence at the weekend in a match that carried them into the quarter finals and got them off to a good start to November. The miners have lost just once in fourteen matches and will hope to carry this form into tomorrow night’s match where victory could see them go back to the top of the table.

Sherwood Colliery have been in fantastic form so far this season, losing just five times in twenty two matches in all competitions since their relegation into the United Counties League. A six game unbeaten run carries them into tomorrow’s fixture and they will feel confident having moved up to second in the league with two games in hand on Newark at the top.

At the weekend, Kimberley hosted Retford United from the division below in the League Cup. A tight match saw Fin Ryder make the breakthrough midway through the first half. Retford United pressed throughout the second half and were rewarded with an equaliser in the ninety sixth minute to take the match to penalties. Kimberley progressed into the next round with a 7-6 win from the spot.

Sherwood Colliery were in league action as they travelled to fellow relegated team, Grantham Town on Saturday. A topsy turvy fixture saw Sherwood lead at half time through two goals in two minutes from top scorer Kieran Knight. Grantham pulled one back early in the second half through Cameron Johnson before Sherwood regained their two goal lead through Harry Bircumshaw. Grantham lived up to their unofficial title as the league’s draw specialists as two goals in the last ten minutes from Lloyd Atem snatched a 3-3 draw.

LAST TIME AROUND

On August Bank Holiday Monday, Kimberley travelled to Debdale Park to face Sherwood Colliery in their second match in three days. The intense heat made things difficult for both sides, but it was the home side who coped better, dominating the game against a lacklustre Miners team. Ryan Ingram opened the scoring for Sherwood midway through the first half. Jacob Pearce doubled the lead on the stroke of half time. Kimberley rallied and improved in the second half but couldn’t find a way through a very organised Sherwood defence.
Final Score - Sherwood Colliery 2-0 KMW.

Previously, The two sides last met in March 2024 as Sherwood Colliery marched to the league title and promotion. A straightforward win at Debdale Park saw Sherwood open the scoring after just two minutes through Craig Westcarr and double their lead on nineteen minutes through Marley Grant. Kimberley had no answer and the match finished 2-0 to The Wood.

Earlier that same season, the Miners took all three points at The Stag Ground as Kole Lambert scored twice and Henry Swann scored to take a 3-1 win with Kieran Knight grabbing Sherwood’s only goal of the game.

A LITTLE ABOUT THE OPPOSITION

The club was formed in 2008, although a club of the same name did compete in the FA Cup in the late 1940s and early 1950s.

They joined the Central Midlands League in 2012, and entered the FA Vase for the first time in 2016 where they beat Penistone Church and Clipstone both of higher divisions before being knocked out 3–2 by Westfields.

The 2017–18 season saw the club finish as runners-up in the league and subsequently gain promotion to the East Midlands Counties Football League.

The 2019–20 season saw the club enter the FA Cup for the first time, getting past Quorn F.C. in the extra preliminary round, before losing out to Loughborough Dynamo in a replay in the next round.

In 2021, the club were promoted to the Premier Division of the Northern Counties East League based on their results in the abandoned 2019–20 and 2020–21 seasons.

The 2023–24 season saw Colliery promoted as champions to the eighth tier. They were, however, relegated straight back, finishing 20th in the 2024-25 Season in the Northern Premier League.

Honours

LEAGUE

United Counties League Premier Division North
Champions: 2023-24
Midland Amateur Alliance Division One
Champions: 2010-1

CUP

Central Midlands Football League Floodlit Cup
Winners: 2016–17

FINALLY

Both sides can go top with a win, which makes this a huge match. Both have had an outstanding season so far, with Sherwood possibly having a psychological advantage having won the reverse fixture a few months ago. Kimberley will want to make up for that, while the visitors will want to showcase their title credentials.

This makes for a very interesting and exciting match in prospect.

The match has been very kindly sponsored by Precision Contracting Services

Kick off is at 20:00

See you there