Town’s unbeaten run on ice after blank weekend
Town FC Comment
By Lloyd Harmston
A second successive postponement meant that Sleaford could keep their four-game unbeaten run on ice; an appropriate analogy, perhaps.
The side should have gone to bogey club Stewart & Lloyds on Saturday, hoping for a first-ever point against the Corby outfit after nine previous meetings. Curious, because this club has tended to be little more than mid-table in recent seasons.
Yet manager Brian Rowland is understandably frustrated, believing that his improved squad would have had the momentum to upset the bogey.
Another delay in the programme provided the opportunity for more nostalgia, as Rowland discussed some of his squads of the past.
He said: “It is difficult to compare former players with those of today and yet there is a simple formula for making an evaluation.
“Despite the fact that we are now competing two steps higher than in our exhilarating Lincolnshire League days, just ask whether or not some of those players would find a place in today’s team.
“Of course they would. Andrew Wilkinson scored goals for fun, John Sabin was just as much at home at centre-back or centre-forward and was rarely beaten in the air. “Des McCauley, Andrew Eames and Martin Jessop were all good friends and real class on the pitch.
“There was Robin Holderness, Daz Statham, Tony Mumford and Matt Lunn. This was the quality we had in the squad when we built towards the Lincolnshire League title for the second time.
“Back a little further to the first league win and there was Steve Winters, Dave Kelby, Steve Lewis, Richard Ogden, Phil Mason, Terry Smith and John Bartley. Could anyone look at those names, put hand on heart and say they would not get into today’s side?”
So it raises an interesting question. Has the standard of Town’s current level dropped considerably? How come players from a former era, would walk into the current squad which is supposed to be a considerably higher level of football?
All those mentioned by Brian Rowland played in the days of Lincolnshire League competition, thought to be level with Step Seven although not officially part of the pyramid.
The side made the Lincs Senior B Cup its own over a seven-year period.
Town have since climbed into the pyramid system through the United Counties First Division (Step Six) and the Premier Division (Step Five) where the struggles have really come home.
Rowland also made the point about the availability of quality players at any given time.
“Looking primarily at local talent, the standard comes and goes over a number of years,” he said. Sometimes it is easy to create a good squad, then it goes quiet for the next few years.
“As for our own UCL Premier Division, there is no way the level has dropped when you look at the top sides. However, for those of us struggling at the lower end, it is all too easy to make comparisons with the players of the past.”
l This Saturday, weather permitting, Town entertain lowly Irchester.
CHROMASPORT & TROPHIES UNITED COUNTIES LEAGUE
Premier Division
P W D L F A Pts
King’s Lynn 25 22 2 1 76 23 68
Long Buckby 21 19 2 0 64 14 59
TIGERS 27 18 1 8 69 31 55
St Ives Town 24 16 2 6 62 34 50
Kempston 31 14 7 10 61 56 49
Blackstones 32 14 7 11 52 48 49
Peterboro’ NS 24 15 2 7 62 32 47
N Pagnell 26 15 1 10 67 37 46
S & L Corby 28 13 4 11 59 46 43
DEEPING 26 12 6 8 62 48 42
TULIPS 31 11 9 11 55 57 42
Wellingboro’ 31 11 8 12 65 58 41
Cogenhoe 26 11 5 10 40 44 38
Boston Town 25 10 5 10 37 33 35
Northampt Sp 31 9 7 15 39 72 34
Daventry Utd 26 6 6 14 35 57 24
Sleaford Town 29 6 6 17 39 75 24
Irchester Utd 30 5 5 20 33 86 20
Yaxley 28 5 4 19 29 62 19
Thrapston 28 4 5 19 26 71 17
Desborough 27 3 4 20 26 74 13
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Weather for Sleaford
Sunday 27 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 9 C to 23 C
Wind Speed: 17 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 11 C to 24 C
Wind Speed: 9 mph
Wind direction: North
