Got to be at the Gate early for the top game!

Apart from the Ladies 1st XI game first up, a quirk of the club fixture planning sees all of the main teams either playing away or off site on Saturday.

So, for those around the club on Saturday afternoon, all the entertainment will come from the lower end of the club, so it’s a good opportunity for people to get out there and support the teams that don’t often get the prime slots.

At 11.30am, the Ladies 4th team get their chance to impress, when they host Horncastle 2nds.  Still ably marshalled by Mary Gregory-Smith, the youngest of the Ladies teams are in another building year, but getting some reasonable results, so I am sure they will be pleased to have a few people watching from the fence.

Next up is the Men’s 9th team, again hosting Horncastle 2nds – they have started well in their first season in the league.  While the enforcement of league age rules has meant that some of the youngest and brightest prospects we have are not able to play yet, the balance in the team between experience and youth is good and they are more than holding their own.

The most senior men’s team at Bretton Gate on Saturday is Nigel Foad’s 7th team, who play high flying Louth at 2.30pm.  Unfortunately, due to injury, old age, or perhaps a little bit of a memory problem, Nigel (pictured left) has failed to pick himself this week and has only managed to get a game in the 9ths, so the Magnificent Sevens will unfortunately be missing their leader on the pitch.

The final game at Bretton Gate on Saturday is the big inter-club match between the Men’s 8th team and the Vets.  Rumour has it that the Vets are gunning for some young blood after being beaten twice by the 8ths last season, and have brought in their ringer Ian “Killer” Kennedy to terrorise the young defence.  The pair of 8th team stoppers Archie “Big Hair” Spears and Kunal “Big Feet” Patel, are reported though to be not worried in the least.

The Men’s 1st XI have a short trip to local rivals Wisbech for a 2.30pm pushback. It looks like Captain Ross Booth is still unlikely to be fit, but the rest of the squad will look forward to playing a team that does come out and try to win the game, as Wisbech have to do with their lowly position in the league.

It’s sure to be an all action encounter, and a good game to watch, but it will hopefully be a third win in a row on the road for the Ones.

The Ladies 1st XI are having a superb season.  They are now up to joint 4th in Division 1N, well above expectations, remarkable though considering they have been inconsistent during many games.  They host St Ives in the 10am game at the Gate, a team a couple of places below them.  It would be great if everyone could get out of bed a little early and they get as much support for them as possible.   

The other off-site and away games are: 

• Men’s 2nd XI – away at Waltham Forest 1sts (Walthamstow Academy)
• Men’s 3rd XI – home against Long Sutton 1sts at the Thomas Deacon Academy
• Men’s 4th XI – away at Long Sutton 2nds (Peele School)
• Men’s 5th XI – home against March Town 1sts at the Thomas Deacon Academy
• Men’s 6th XI – away at March Town 2nds (Neale-Wade School)
• Ladies 2nd XI – away at Letchworth 1sts
• Ladies 3rd XI – away at Wisbech Town 2nds

On Sunday the juniors are in action at home, as well as Over 40s away in the Vets Cup.  The fixtures are:

• U14 Boys XI v Northampton U14 Boys (home at 11.30am)
• U14 Boys XI v Derwent U14 Boys (home at 12.45pm)
• U16 Boys XI v Norwich City U16 Boys (home at 2pm)
• U16 Girls XI Vs Cambridge City U16 Girls (home at 3.15pm)
• Men’s Veterans XI away at Letchworth Over 40s