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Barwell v St Albans City

Saturday, August 20 – KO 3pm

Kirkby Road Sports Ground, Kirkby Road, Barwell, Leicestershire, LE9 8FQ (Tel: 01455 843067)

Manager: Jimmy Ginnelly

Last season: First (Northern League First Division South)

Top scorer this year: Luke Barlone (Two)

LEICESTERSHIRE is the destination this Saturday as the Saints look to bounce back from Tuesday night’s horror showing at Cambridge City.

Barwell, in their debut campaign in the Southern Premier Division, are level on points with the Saints going into the game and will be looking to maintain their winning start on their own patch.

Players

Striker Kev Charley – not to be confused with Saints’ assistant Ken Charlery, was Barwell’s leading goalscorer last term netting 17 goals from 44 appearances but it is fellow striker Luke Barlone who leads they way this year.

Barlone netted just seven times last season and is already well on his way to meeting that target after netting twice in The Kirkby Roaders’s 3-1 win over Banbury.

Midfielder Scott Rickards is an experienced non-league campaigner having been a key component in Tamworth’s run to the FA Trophy Final in 2003. The 29-year-old has also represented Kidderminster, Redditch, Nuneaton and Alfreton.

Goalkeeper Liam Castle has established himself as the number one at Kirkby Road after breaking into the first team four seasons ago. The stopper was formerly with Basingstoke and Hinckley.

Season so far

Barwell’s introduction to Southern League football didn’t quite go to plan, slipping to a 1-0 defeat at Chesham United. Former Saint Leon Archer got the only goal of the game finishing after goalkeeper Castle had parried his initial shot.

The Leicestershire side bounced back in style on Tuesday though as two goals from Barlone and one from Jamie Towers handed them a 3-1 win over Banbury United in front of 173 people.

Team vs Banbury: Castle; Lower, Dodd, Bains, Rowley, Rickards, Towers, Hadland, Barlone, Charley, Stanley.

Team news

Paul Furlong comes back into contention having missed Tuesday night’s game with Cambridge City due to work commitments but both James Bent and Nick Jupp remain unavailable.

The game probably comes a week too earlier for Danny Hart as he looks to overcome a hamstring injury sustained during pre-season.