This weekend is as big as they get for Histon FC. We have not one but two massively important games against local opposition that we really need to get something from if we are to maintain a challenge for promotion. Firstly, we host Godmanchester Rovers in the A14 Derby at Bridge Road this coming Saturday at 3pm (yes, 3pm, not 2pm). We then travel to Eynesbury Rovers on Easter Monday for a fixture that is rarely short on excitement or controversy. Six league points are up for grabs, and with Aylestone Park breathing down our necks in the race for the final place in the play-offs, the aim is to bag all six of them.
Both games this weekend are likely to see us up against some of our former players. The Godmanchester lineup against Bugbrooke St Michaels on Tuesday night included Matty Allen and recent signing Joe Sutton, both of whom graduated through our academy system at Bridge Road and represented us last season. Matty scored 28 goals in 87 appearances for Histon while midfielder Joe made 137 appearances in a Histon shirt. Former Histon U18s player Johan Kappeler also appeared for Goddy against Bugbrooke, which was one of 17 appearances he has made for Rovers this season. Rovers won the game 2-1, although Bugbrooke had three players red carded!
Eynesbury Rovers are also not short on former Histon stars. Ollie Brookes, Babacar Camara and goalkeeper Chris Gough are all familiar with the home dressing room at Bridge Road, but in the Histon squad on Saturday will be Harry Hurst who made 30 appearances for Eynesbury Rovers this season before switching to The Stutes.
We’ve had mixed fortunes against Godmanchester Rovers on our own turf, winning three and losing three of our six previous meetings this century. The fixture last season ended in a 1-3 win for Rovers. Karl Saffery was our goalscorer and is one of only five players in our starting lineup on that day who is still with the club.
The hopes are that Danny Gould will be available for selection again on Saturday after he made a surprise comeback from injury against Lutterworth Town last weekend. Danny is clearly too good to be playing Step 5 football and if he can steer clear of injury over the remainder of the season he may well turn out to be a match-winner for us in our remaining four games of the campaign.
Home fixtures against Godmanchester Rovers usually attract a crowd in excess of 300, so it may be worth arriving a little earlier than usual to avoid any overcrowding in the club car park and around the turnstiles. The game is being sponsored by Histon FC Holdings Ltd and the match ball sponsor is Colin Barnes Builders Ltd. Our appreciation goes to both parties. Our mascots are the Haddenham Under 11s side who we are sure will have a great day with us.
If you recover from Saturday’s game in time to travel to Eynesbury on Monday you will be paying £8 for adult admission, £6 for concessions and nothing for Under 16s accompanied by an adult. The ground is in Hall Road, Eynesbury, postcode PE19 2SF.
Aylestone Park have a tricky away fixture against in-form Easington Sports on Saturday and a local derby against Leicester Nirvana at home on Monday. Given that the two of us now appear to be in a straight shoot-out for the last play-off place, this weekend could be a test of who keeps their nerve the longest before the regular season concludes in a little over two weeks.
Our Ladies team have won Div 1 North of the Women’s Eastern Region League. Our Under 18s have won their division of the Thurlow Nunn Youth League. Now it is the turn of our Senior Men’s side to play their part in what has been an outstanding season for Histon Football Club.
