Eastwood played the miners at the beginning of the month running out 3-1 victors in the FA Cup, thanks to a brace from the skipper and a Kyle Tomlin header. A win for the Red Badgers on Monday afternoon would make it four straight league victories the last time we achieved that feat was October 2020. Another three points could lift Eastwood as high as second in the league table with the likes of Sherwood Colliery, Belper United and Ashby Ivanhoe not playing until Wednesday. Tyler Blake and Aaron O’Connor will both be wanting to add to their goal tallies, the pair have scored a combined ten goals in seven matches so far this season.

STAT ATTACK: A dismal record on Monday’s has seen the Red’s fail to win their last five matches played on the opening day of the week the last win coming at the end of April 2018.

The hosts go into the game off the back of a 5-2 victory against strugglers Pinchbeck United, despite a mixed start to the 2023/24 campaign Kimbo’s home form remains strong winning two of their three matches so far.

Joint boss Daryll Thomas believes his side need to “at it” if they are to take anything away from the Stag Ground on Monday afternoon.

“Bank Holiday weekends are always a tough schedule physically for the boys with 2 games in 3 days but something that we embrace and look forward to.”

“We had a great result against Kimberley MW earlier in the month in the FA Cup I don’t really see them changing the way they are going to play so it again will be about who can be more clinical in front of goal.”

“It’s a huge local derby and we expect a decent size crowd we expect Kimberley to want to put right, a wrong so we need to be smack bang at it again to get anything from the game. The boys are in a confident mood at the moment so we hope to take maximum points this weekend which will set us up nicely for a tough September.”

“Hoping to see as many Red Badgers at Kimberley to get behind the lads your support goes a long way!“

Player Watch: Forward Aaron Coyle has netted in his last two appearances against Eastwood and currently boasts a return of four goals in seven games this season. Newest recruit Josh Mundell (in the voice of Micah Richards) burst on to the scene on Saturday afternoon with a 85-minute hat trick in his first appearance of the season, helping his side to a 5-2 win over Pinchbeck United.

Previous Meetings: Nine previous encounters between the two sides divided by IKEA, Giltbrook. Both teams winning three a piece, the most recent the 3-1 victory at Coronation Park for the hosts at the start of August. Despite the Red Badgers suffering defeat just once in their last four with their geographical nearest rivals, you have to go all the way back to November 2018 for the last time the visitors to the Stag Ground came away with three points. Saturday 24th November a Jack Allen brace with a goal in each half secured the 2-0 win and the three points for the visiting badgers.

Squad Update: There are no fresh injury concerns ahead of the derby day clash, Marcus Marshall and Ben Henderson will both be pushing for starts after performing well off the bench against Belper. Steven Beejer could break into the 16 man squad, as the left back continues his recovery from a knee injury. Tyreece Robinson is back from his ban, Ben Fairclough, Jack Messom, Etien Omari, Lavell White and Tom Maddison are all unavailable.

Monday 28th August 2023
Kimberley Miners Welfare vs Eastwood CFC
3pm Kick Off
The Stag Ground, Nottingham Road, Kimberley, NG16 2NB

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