We are on the road again this weekend, this time to Warwickshire to take on the current league leaders Nuneaton Town. The former Conference Premier side have taken the league by storm this season but only after enduring a traumatic few years during which their financial problems resulted in eviction from their home ground and their subsequent resignation from the Southern League. They were playing in the National League North as recently as 2018, but found themselves swimming with much smaller fish last season in Division One of the Midlands Football League (Step 6). It was a division they won with ease and they now find themselves four points clear at the top of the UCL Premier South and seemingly on their way back up the pyramid structure. But being out in front at this stage of the season means they now have a target on their back, and the Stutes will be going all out to score a bullseye.
Despite their lofty position in the league, Nuneaton have shown themselves to be far from infallible. Two teams have held them to a draw on their own patch (Lutterworth Town and Godmanchester Rovers) and they inexplicably lost 3-0 at Easington Sports less than a month ago in what was their first league defeat of the season. But any pressure they might have experienced so for is likely to multiply in the next few weeks as their next three fixtures are against three of the four clubs currently in the play-off positions, starting with the Stutes this coming Saturday. With the club also still in the FA Vase and the UCL League Cup, it is a run that will show us whether they can live up to the level of expectation their fans will now have of them, or if the pressure of being favourites to lift the league title will take its toll.
A point that will not have gone unnoticed by our hosts is that Histon will be going into the game on a run of seven wins in our last eight league games. Should we extend that run on Saturday, the result will send a shockwave throughout the division and give a firm message to the chasing pack that the race for the league title still has a very long way to run.
Included in the Histon squad for the game are Connor Barnes and Luke Crisp, both of whom made their 100th appearance for the club at Easington Sports last weekend. Congratulations go to both players, who many will agree are in the form of their lives at present.
Despite being the best supported club in the UCL Premier South, one thing Nuneaton Town don’t have any more is their own ground. They are currently tenants at the home of Bedworth United FC where they share the 3G playing surface at The Oval in Coventry Road. It is a 78-mile drive from Bridge Road, but almost all of it is on dual carriageways. Google Maps says it is a 90-minute journey. The postcode for your SatNav is CV12 8NN.
Admission is £10 for adults, concessions are £8, students aged 17 to 19 pay £5, under 17s pay £1 and under 5s get in for free. Kick-off is at 3.00pm.
If you can’t make it to the Nuneaton Town match, the Reserves are at home to Wimblington at Bridge Road and would very much appreciate your support. Kick-off is at 2.00pm.
