UP NEXT, after a bumper crowd of 412 at The Stag Ground for Non-League day last weekend, the miners are away as they make the trip to mid-table Harrowby United.

With consistency being a real problem at the moment, if the current pattern of win one, lose one continues as it had from the start of February, we would hope to be in line for a positive result this weekend. With four wins and four loses over the last eight matches, this lack of consistency has been very apparent. The team seem to be turning the corner with each win, but then follow it up with a defeat and see the other sides around them doing the same. This continual game of leapfrog looks set to last for the final five matches of the season with all five teams in and around the relegation places having some very tough fixtures, along with some where they would fancy their chances.

Harrowby United approach the game in very similar form to Kimberley in that they’ve only had back to back victories once over the last eight matches, and have an almost identical record over that period of time, save for one draw in the place of a loss.

Last Saturday saw a bumper crowd of 412 joining us on Non League day as we welcomed promotion chasing Lincoln United to The Stag Ground. With survival now in our own hands, the team knew that this was to be a huge challenge against a side who were unbeaten in fourteen matches. An early goal for the visitors set the miners back, but a battling performance and plenty of attacking options on the bench meant that they were always in with a chance. A late flurry of substitutions saw Josh Timson equalise on the 85th minute, only for Lincoln to grab a winner late into injury time. The result saw Kimberley drop back into the bottom two as Gresley Rovers managed a first win in 2025 to move back up a spot.
Final Score - Kimberley Miners Welfare 1 - 2 Lincoln United

Harrowby were also in the neighbourhood last weekend as they visited playoff chasing Heanor Town. In a match they’ll want to forget quickly, Taylor Gray scored the only goal for Harrowby as Heanor scored five through Sacha Markelic, John King, Sam Birks and two from Jamie Sleigh. Full time - Heanor Town 5 - 1 Harrowby United

LAST TIME AROUND

The two sides met at the Stag Ground in October in what was an entertaining five goal thriller. Kemal Yeniberitz opened the scoring for Harrowby, with Nathaniel Peters equalising minutes later to go into half time at one apiece. As was customary at the time, Kimberley let in two quick goals in the second half as first Tom Harris and four minutes later, Jack Gurney scored for Harrowby. Braden Noon-Brandy bagged a late consolation for Kimberley. Final Score 2-3.

A LITTLE ABOUT THE OPPOSITION

The club was established in 1949 and initially played in the Grantham & District League. They remained in the Grantham League until joining Division One of the Central Alliance in 1967. However, after a single season in the Central Alliance the club transferred to Division One of the East Midlands Regional League.

A fifth-place finish in 1973–74 saw Harrowby promoted to the Premier Division. The league became the Midlands Regional Alliance in 1985, and the club won the Premier Division and Challenge Cup double in 1989–90. They subsequently moved up to Division One of the United Counties League. Although the club won the division in 1991–92, they were unable to take promotion to the Premier Division. However, after finishing as Division One runners-up in 2002–03, the club were promoted to the Premier Division.

The 2005–06 season saw Harrowby finish bottom of the Premier Division, after which they dropped back into the Grantham & District League. The club spent the 2007–08 season in the Lincolnshire League, finishing bottom of the table, before joining the Supreme Division of the Central Midlands League. In 2009 they were renamed Grantham Rangers, but folded at the end of the 2009–10 season, which had seen them finish bottom of the Supreme Division.

A new Harrowby United was established in 2012 when Grantham & District League champions Beehive United changed their name to Harrowby United upon taking promotion to Division One of the United Counties League. In 2013–14 a third-place finish saw the club promoted to the Premier Division. They were relegated back to Division One after finishing second-from-bottom of the Premier Division in 2016–17. In 2023–24 the club finished fifth in Division One, qualifying for the promotion play-offs. After beating Clipstone 4–1 in the semi-finals, they defeated Newark Town 2–1 in the final to earn promotion to the Premier Division North.

HONOURS

United Counties League - Division One champions 1991–92
Midlands Regional Alliance - Premier Division champions 1989–90
Challenge Cup winners 1989–90

FINALLY

This is a must win in desperate times against a team with nothing to play for as they sit comfortably in mid-table, unable to reach the playoffs and safe from relegation. Harrowby will however, want to make up for last week’s defeat at Heanor. With no pressure on them, they will be a very tough and unpredictable opponent this weekend.

Kimberley will hope that on this occasion, the current pattern of win one, lose one is in their favour and they’ll be due a win after defeat last week.

Please come along and support the boys. We need you.