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August and September schedule 

Sat 10th Aug   Gainsborough     home
Tue 13th Aug.   Mickleover             away
Sat 17th Aug    FC United               away
Tue 20th Aug  Macclesfield         home
Sat 24th Aug   Bamber Bridge    home
Mon 26th Aug   Basford                  away
Sat 31st Aug.    FA Cup 1st quaifying round
Sat 7th Sep      Whitby                  home
Tue 10th Sep    Worksop                away
Sat 14th Sep    Morpeth                 away   or FA Cup 2nd qualifying round
Tue 17th Sep   Hyde                     home
Tue 24th Sep   Leek                       away
Sat 28th Sep   Ashton                  home   or FA Cup 3rd qualifying round  

We have at least 13 matches to play in the opening two months of the season including the FA Cup match on 31st August. That should give an indication of how we might do and which of the other teams are the strongest. 
Ilkeston certainly have a really tough opening two months where nearly every single match looks difficult. 

Gainsborough (H)  -  Trinity finished last season as the best form team                
Mickleover (A)       -   Always a strong side                                                            
FC United (A)         -  Always difficult to get a result on their ground                      
Macclesfield (H)     -  They are favourites to win the league                                     
Bamber Bridge (H) -  On paper looks like our best chance for 3 points                    
Basford  (A)            -  Local derby so unpredictable outcome                                               
Whitby (H)              -  They beat us twice last season                                               
Worksop (A)           -  We’ll be lucky to get anything there
Morpeth (A)            -  Likely to be playoff contenders this season                             
Hyde (H)                 -  One of last season’s best teams                                              
Leek (A)                  -  Always a tough ground to go to                                               
Ashton (H)              -  One of the front runners throughout last season                      

In my opinion, if we are mid table at the end of September with around 15 points we will have done well.



   

Last edited by Matchman (22/7/2024 9:41 AM)