A Big Derby Weekend!
Six City of Peterborough teams have derby games on Saturday, so as well as the need for all teams to pick up points there is that extra spice of trying to get “one up” on local rivals from Spalding, Bourne / Market Deeping, Wisbech and Cambridge.
The weekend is topped off on Sunday with the biggest derby of the season so far – the Men’s 1st XI hosting Cambridge City in the 3rd round of the EH KO Cup (a 1.30pm pushback).
On Saturday though, City Men’s 1st XI will travel to Chelmsford, hopefully with a full strength squad for probably the first time this season. Well that certainly was the intention with Veteran Simon Shorter (left) finally match fit after his hamstring injury, Neil Evans fit enough to play again and Ben Read also recovering from his knock to his knee.
Plans may have gone slightly awry though, as on Thursday fan’s favourite Tom Hagues (left) looked to have now aggravated an old hamstring injury doing some sprint work and is now doubtful for the trip to Essex. The squad is still strong though and will hope to get the result and put their season back on track.
The Ladies 1st team host old rivals Cambridge City 2nds in the 11.30am game at Bretton Gate. Cambridge City were the team that went up with our Ladies last year, and always give our girls a difficult game, but two good draws in the last two weeks against sides well above them in the table mean that there is no lack of fight in the our team – and that’s what you need in a local derby.
In Prem B, the Men’s 2nd and 3rd teams will now start to be able to measure each other up, as they now start to play the teams that the club colleagues have already played. The view from some around the club, is the 3rd teams position is a little flattering, as they have played some weaker teams – but tomorrow this will be very clear. At 1pm in the prime home slot of the day, the 3rds host Ipswich, a team who only last week beat the 2nd team 4-1. Also tomorrow, the 2nd team travel to Letchworth hoping to match the result achieved by the 3rd team on the first day of the season (a 5-2 win).
The Men’s 5th team play Cambridge City 4ths, a team that drew with our 4ths last week, in the home 4pm game. Again that is another early marker of form in this division, where the top 9 teams are all incredibly still within 3 points. The 4th team travel to Wisbech 3rds, and will want a win before travelling back to support their club mates in the late game.
In Division 4NW, the long rivalry between the Glorious Sixes and the Magnificent Sevens continues. Nigel Foad’s 7th team host Alford at 2.30pm, a team who beat the Sixes last weekend, but the Men’s 6th team only have to go to Glinton to play Bourne Deeping 3rds. The winners will have the bragging rights later in the day, as both teams are level on points.
The two youngest teams both have home fixtures at 10am. The 8ths are at the TDA against Spalding 3rds and the unbeaten 9ths play at Bretton Gate against Spalding 5ths.
The other games are:
- Ladies 4ths v Leadenham 1, at the Thomas Deacon Academy
- Ladies 2nds away at St Neots 1sts
- Ladies 3rds away at Boston 1sts
- Mens Veterans away at Leadenham 1 (RAF Cranwell)
