Kimberley Creating History In FA Cup

Kimberley Miners Welfare, for victory over Leicester Nirvana, in the FA Cup, will be opposing that of Warwickshire-based side, Atherstone Town CFC, of the Midlands League Premier Division.

The First Qualifying Round tie, which will take place on/around Saturday 3 September (at Sheepy Road, Atherstone) is the furthest the Nottinghamshire club have reached in the world famous competition, their previous two entries, in 2017/18, and 2018/19, saw them knocked out at the Preliminary Round stage.

Now, the world as they say, is their oyster, and, although uncharted waters, competition-wise, regionalisation format makes matters a little less daunting.

Joint-manager, Graham Furnell (alongside Ant Ward), gave the Nottingham Sport, insight into some cup drama at The Stag, with what has been: “A challenging few days in the build-up to Saturday’s FA Cup tie at home, against in-form Leicester Nirvana.

“We (Kimberley) were worried with the amount of knocks picked up in the Selston win in midweek, and those fears were confirmed both at Thursday’s training session and during the late fitness tests prior to the game.

“(Those injuries see) Aaron Coyle out for several weeks with a dislocated shoulder, skipper Sam Brown had to sit out training, alongside both Ryan Whitehurst and Ryan Wheatley.

“Worst still was that James Fogg, who had recently joined after injury to ‘keeper Danny Rigley, (Fogg) pulled up with a hamstring strain which will see him missing for 2/3 weeks also.”

Two ‘keepers down, Kimberley managed to get Harvey Woodward from neighbours Ilkeston Town to fill the gap, but, any thoughts of relaxation was tempered by a delay in registration meaning that it was last minute confirmation of his availability for what became a history-making day.

A bizarre twist in the ‘keepers tale would see Rigley, originally ruled out for around five weeks, declaring himself fit to play, just two weeks into a rehabilitation plan, but placed himself into contention into a recall to the starting eleven.

As for their FA Cup opponents, “We had watched (Leicester) Nirvana a couple of times and knew how they set up, as well as the dangers they possessed in the attacking third of the pitch.

“They started the game on the front foot and controlled the opening fifteen minutes, before we got a foothold in the game.

“We had a couple of chances from set plays which should have seen us go into the break ahead, but we squandered them.”

Enforced changes at the interval would mean a slight change to the game-plan, which paid off with those two, second half goals, seeing Kimberley progress to the First Qualifying Round for the first time.

James Shaw would net the opener from the spot around the hour mark and, with they keeping their nerves about them, added a second with twenty minutes remaining, Tom Eccleshall heading home, the visitors continuing to push themselves as the game wore on.

“Credit to the lads, we held on and gained a rather pleasing, clean sheet,” continued Graham.

“To the delight of the Chairman, and the club official’s, safe passage through to the First Qualifying Round for the first time in our history.

“To a man, they gave it their all and, what was most pleasing, all of our walking wounded were in attendance to show their support.”

KIMBERLEY MW FA CUP HISTORY

2017/18

Extra Preliminary Round vs. Blaby & Whetstone Athletic (H, L2-4, tie awarded to Kimberley)
Preliminary Round vs. Shepshed Dynamo (A, L0-3)

2018/19

Extra Preliminary Round vs. Heather St Johns (A, W6-3)
Preliminary Round vs. Oadby Town (L0-2)

2022/23

Extra Preliminary Round vs. Lutterworth Town (H, W5-1)
Preliminary Round vs. Leicester Nirvana (H, W2-0)

Focus now turns to another cup tie, and the FA Vase, where Kimberley welcome neighbours Hucknall Town to The Stag.

It is a similar scenario in the Vase though, Kimberley having only reached the Second Round, on two occasions, in 2018 and 2022, losing to Stourport Swifts in each occasion.

KIMBERLEY MW FA VASE HISTORY

2015/16

First Qualifying Round vs. Borrowash Victoria (A, L1-3)

2016/17

First Qualifying Round vs. Graham Street Prims (A, W5-2)
Second Qualifying Round vs. Heanor Town (A, D2-2)
(replay) vs. Heanor Town; H, L0-2)

2017/18

First Qualifying Round vs. Barrow Town (H, L1-2; tie awarded to Kimberley MW)
Second Qualifying Round vs. Radford (A, W4-1)
First Round vs. Stafford Town (A, W1-0)
Second Round vs. Stourport Swifts (H, L0-2)

2018/19

First Qualifying Round vs. Lincoln Moor Railway (A, W3-1)
Second Qualifying Round vs. Aylestone Park (A, L1-2)

2019/20

First Qualifying Round vs. Clipstone (H, W2-1)
Second Qualifying Round vs. Blaby & Whetstone Athletic (A, W2-0)
First Round vs. Sherwood Colliery (H, L0-4)

2020/21

Second Qualifying Round vs. Belper United (A, L1-2)

2021/22

Second Qualifying Round vs. Gedling Miners Welfare (A, W3-1)
First Round vs. Studley (H, W3-2)
Second Round vs. Stourport Swifts (A, L1-3)

Now, although a similar situation to the run-up to the Leicester Nivana game in the FA Cup, the FA Vase tie, with Hucknall Town, does afford a little more space for the Kimberley management in which to manoeuvre.

Graham added, looking ahead to the Vase clash: “We will again have to monitor the fitness of a few players this week, and cater our sessions to suit as the squad is looking a little threadbare so we can’t really work them too hard.

“Having played Hucknall several times over the past three seasons, and knowing them fairly well, they have a new management team in place and will certainly want to avenge last season’s games were we came out on top in both league encounters.

“We will see where we are come Thursday night, but I’d expect us to again shuffle the pack and potentially get a couple of fresh faces into the squad.

“Once again though, we’d like to thank our fantastic supporters who cheer us on through thick and thin; they really do make a difference and its noticeable the lift which they give our young squad, so, thank you!”

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