18/10/2026
📰 MATCH REPORT 🟢
The Greens were on the road in Derbyshire on Saturday as they faced South Normanton Athletic.
✍️ Olly Burton provides a full breakdown of the afternoon's action in our latest match report below 👇
Sleaford Town were unlucky to come away from Derbyshire empty-handed on Saturday afternoon. Despite a positive performance in large parts of the game, The Greens were beaten 2-1 by fellow playoff pushers South Normanton.
The contest was a good advert for the United Counties League Division One as both sides pushed to win the game, a theme that started right from the off. The game began quickly, and after only five minutes, the hosts opened the scoring through danger man Josh Devereux. A cross from the wide left was swung into the back post, but a sliced clearance from Sleaford defender Jonathan Timmins meant the ball ran through to Devereux, who finished expertly at a tight angle into the side netting.
Sleaford looked undeterred from this early setback, as Town looked to hit back instantly. It was almost parity a minute later, as Dion Tansey-Potter drove down the left wing and fed the ball centrally to Sam Edgington, but The Shiners’ defence blocked his shot, stopping a dangerous chance.
After a lull in the next twenty-five minutes, where both sides looked to grab a foothold, it was South Normanton who looked the strongest after half an hour, forcing Sleaford ‘keeper Ryan Kamm into a fine string of saves. The pick of the bunch was a superb save with his feet, denying a certain goal after thirty-three.
As the second half commenced, the game wore on in favour of South Normanton. The hosts missed even more crucial chances, putting two big chances wide of the post as the clock ticked into the fifties. Both Devereux and George Morris would come to regret their guilt-edge chances, as the game turned into Sleaford dominance after the hour.
The Greens from here on out were the dominant side, and the pressure was eventually too much for the Shiners, with Timmins scoring for the visitors after a series of set-piece opportunities for the visitors. The centre half rose highest from a corner and powered his header past the hopeless Ross Etheridge in goal to restore parity.
However, only eleven minutes later, South Normanton’s lead was restored on the break. A mazy run from Devereux sliced open the Sleaford defence, and a low cross from the right of the box was then bundled in at the back post by William Whitehead. As the game approached its end, Sleaford again began to turn the screw, but this time to no avail.
Several half-chances from the Greens’ attackers were not taken, and the referee called time on a thrilling encounter. Despite defeat, Sleaford manager Jamie McGhee was pleased with his side’s application. “I actually thought it was one of our better performances” he said.
“I think both teams really went for it today. The defining moments were those final passes and the final touches where it didn’t quite drop for us. We tried to do all the right things, but those final moments of quality didn’t happen for us.”