Shirebrook are frustrated by Sleaford

Shirebrook Town returned to the WH Davis Stadium for their first home game of 2025. And it was a big one as Sleaford Town were the visitors with the sides only separated by 4 points prior to kick off Shirebrook knew if they could get maximum points it would help with their battle to avoid the drop.

As the game got underway Shirebrook had two brilliant chances in the opening 5 minutes first Ollie Fearon was played in down the left but his shot from a tight angle was saved by the Sleaford keeper.

Just minutes later Fearon was again played in this time down the right hand side but as he crossed to Andre McKenzie the Shirebrook number 10 couldn’t get a foot on the ball allowing the Sleaford keeper to gather it.

Sleaford soon started to get some chances of their own Will Hollingsworth saw a shot blocked by Bradley Johnston and Ben Robson fired a shot over the bar but just as it looked like it was going to be goalless at the break.

Sleaford took the lead in the 42nd minute when Lewis Greenfield crossed the ball into the path of Ben Robson who forced a great save out of Rio Alberry but the Shirebrook keeper couldn’t keep hold of the ball and the rebound fell to Josh Parker who smashed the ball past Alberry into the goal and it was the visitors who went into the break with a narrow lead.

As the second half got underway Shirebrook again made a bright start with the two best chances again falling to Ollie Fearon, his first a spectacular overhead kick that went just over the bar and the second when Fearon forced the Sleaford keeper into a mistake and robbed him of the ball, but the tight angle meant Fearon was unable to get a shot away.

Shirebrook were temporally reduced to 10 as Connor McMillan was given a sin-bin for words he said to the referee. The stop start nature of the game meant that the chances had started to dry up and it wasn’t until the final 5 minutes that either keeper was forced into action, but Rio Alberry made a fantastic save to keep out a Ben Robson header.

In injury time, as Shirebrook were pushing to get a goal back, they were reduced to 10 men when Bult picked up his second yellow.

Shirebrook almost stole a point in injury time as Josh Millen swung in a corner that caused panic in the box and a number of Shirebrook players shot at goal but Sleaford managed to scramble the ball away and that would prove to be Shirebrook last chance as Sleaford claimed all 3 points.

After the game Shirebrook manager Rudy Funk said: "I don’t really know where to start with today when you look at the balance of the game I don’t think we deserved to lose so a point would have been fair result so to come away with nothing is disappointing.

"Sleaford knew what they were doing in the second half throwing themselves to the ground every 30 seconds and we fell into that trap and that was disappointing to see but we now need to regroup and go again next weekend in what will be another important game away at Ashby Ivanhoe.”