The Opposition - Key Facts
Full name: Bourne Town Football Club
Nickname: The Wakes
Founded: 1883
Ground: Abbey Lawn (JJ Mac Stadium)
Capacity: 2,000
Chairman: Mark Lynch
Manager: Michael Goode (since October 2023)
Last season: 2nd/20 (UCL Premier (promoted via play-offs))
Journey distance: 70 miles

The Opposition - History
Bourne Town FC, founded in 1883, joined the Peterborough & District League in 1911, winning Division One titles in 1933–34 and 1939–40, with further successes immediately after World War II. After a difficult spell in the United Counties League from 1947 to 1956, the club returned to local leagues before joining the Central Alliance in 1958, winning Division One South in 1959–60. They entered the reformed Midland League in 1961, then rejoined the United Counties League in 1965, where they enjoyed a strong period, claiming three league titles between 1968 and 1972 and another in 1990–91.

Demoted in 2009–10 due to ground grading issues, Bourne spent over a decade in Division One but finished third in 2022–23, reaching the play-offs. They won the Division One title the following season after ground improvements enabled promotion to the Premier Division North. In 2024–25 they finished runners-up, won the play-offs, and secured promotion to the Northern Premier League Division One Midlands.

The Opposition - This Season
The Wakes have found life tough at Step 4, with 16th position in the table being the highest they have occupied this season.
They did win their first two FA Cup matches back in August but started on the back foot in the league with three defeats on the spin before winning at Bedworth United.
After that came a run of five without a victory, ended by a comprehensive thrashing of playoff hopefuls Racing Club Warwick.
Once again they couldn't build on this win, coming out on top in only one of the subsequent eight games.
They secured back to back wins for the first time in November and completing the double over Warwick made it three in five.
Despite hovering near the foot of the table, the odd victory kept their survival hopes alive and between 24th January and 28th February they won four of their seven games.
A superb 5-2 win at Long Eaton United in February was probably the highlight of the season and their last victory came at Rugby Town just over a month ago.
Their relegation was confirmed by last weekend's home defeat to Boldmere St. Michaels.

League (19th/22): P 41 W 12 D 7 L 22 F 51 A 66 Pts. 43
Cups: P 6 W 2 D 1 L 3 F 5 A 12
FA Cup: Exited at First Qualifying Round Replay (Shepshed Dynamo)
FA Trophy: Exited at First Qualifying Round (AFC Rushden & Diamonds)
County Cup: Exited at First Round (Cleethorpes Town)

Top goalscorers (NPL only): Robbie Ellis (13), Zacorie Allen (11)
Most minutes played (NPL only): William Lakin (3,447), Aaron Eyett (3,383)
Biggest victory: 4-0 vs. Racing Club Warwick (20th September)
Heaviest defeat: 0-5 vs. Wellingborough Town (28th March)
Highest home attendance: 627 vs. Corby Town (26th December)
Average home attendance (NPL): 369 (5th/22)
Most consecutive wins: 2
Most games without a win: 5
Most consecutive defeats: 3
Most games without a defeat: 5

The Nailers
Belper had a great start to the season, losing just once in a busy August, that defeat being to Kidsgrove Athletic in the FA Cup.
It would be October until they lost in the NPL at home to Carlton Town but by then the FA Trophy campaign was also over as Rugby Town staged a fantastic second half comeback.
One defeat led to two, away to Coleshill Town but the ship was then steadied with wins over Anstey Nomads and AFC Rushden & Diamonds.
November was an outstanding month for the Nailers, seeing four wins and a draw and defeat at home to St. Neots Town on the 20th of December was a first in nine matches.
Long Eaton United away on Boxing Day saw a Nailers horror show and heavy defeat and 2026 started with a mixed bag - a win, draw and defeat all at the Raygar Stadium.
February saw only one win as revenge was gained on Rugby Town with a comfortable NPL win but the next three matches were a struggle and Belper didn't win any of them.
After another win in Rugby, this time at Borough, a disappointing home defeat to Sutton Coldfield Town came next.
A great win at AFC Rushden & Diamonds was followed by another reversal at the Raygar Stadium, Lichfield City winning comfortably.
Further defeats at Shepshed Dynamo and Boldmere St. Michaels followed but some confidence was restored with a home win over Long Eaton United on Bank Holiday Monday.
Two weeks ago the Nailers slipped to defeat at Loughborough Students but last weekend it was back to winning ways, Diego De Girolamo scoring one of the goals of the season in a 2-1 win.
Appearances wise, only Curtis Burrows can lay claim to have played in every match this season, with Kieran Preston missing just the one.
In terms of goals, Kevin Bastos leads the way with 11 while Liam Moran has ten and Jacob Gratton nine. Jonathan Wafula sits on six with three players on five goals and a further eight players on four goals or fewer.

Head to Head
The sides have met on nine occasions, which were all Midland League fixtures in the 1960s until the meeting earlier this season.
Belper have a great record in the fixture, winning four out of the first five and drawing the other.
The most entertaining match came in April 1964 when the Nailers won 7-4 at Christchurch Meadow!
Bourne's solitary victory to date arrived only 18 days after that crazy match when they took revenge with a 4-1 victory in Lincolnshire.
Belper won the last two, both in the 1964-65 season with the last meeting a 5-1 Belper win.
Our record goalscorer Mick Lakin bagged seven goals against Bourne and was manager for the last two wins!
Bourne suffered relegation to the United Counties League in that 1964-65 season but would win Division One three times in the next seven seasons to gain promotion to the Premier Divison where they would remain for nearly 40 years.
The sides met in November for the first time in 60 years. A Jacob Gratton penalty gave Belper the lead on 72 minutes before a fantastic finish from James Tague sealed the points.

Overall record for Belper: P 9 W 7 D 1 L 1 F 28 A 15
(8 x Midland League, 1 x NPL)

Form Guide (all competitive matches)
Belper Town: LLLWLW
Bourne Town: WLDWLL

Team News
Full team news will be announced at 2:15pm.

Permutations
For the Nailers it's simple: One point guarantees a playoff spot.
While we cannot finish any higher than 4th, a draw would almost certainly ensure that's exactly where we end the season, with a two point gap to 5th placed Coleshill Town, but more importantly a +12 goal difference advantage.
Racing Club Warwick are a point further back and to leapfrog Belper would have to win, hope we lose and ensure a 10 goal swing in the process.
The visitors know that they will be playing their football next season at Step 5, but knowing there is always the chance of a reprieve they will hoping to cling on to the highest of the relegation places.
To ensure that happens, they need to win and protect a one goal advantage over St. Neots Town.
Coventry Sphinx can also overhaul them if they win and Bourne fail to do so.

Match details
Belper Town vs. Bourne Town
Pitching In Northern Premier League Midlands Division

Saturday, 25th April 2026 - 3:00pm kick off

Raygar Stadium
Bridge Street
Belper
Derbyshire
DE56 1BA

Admission prices: Adults £11, Concessions £7, U16s £0
Please note U16s must be accompanied by a paying adult if they do not hold a BTFC Season Ticket or Youth Membership.

Follow the match
Full coverage of the match:

• Audio commentary on Radio Belper Town
• Full text coverage on X and Facebook.
• Match reports on the website (all matches) and in the Non-League Paper (Saturday matches only)

NPL Midlands fixtures
There's a season ending derby in Rugby as Borough entertain relegated Town in a match strangely not scheduled to Bank Holidays.
The only game where both sides have something on the line is at Shepshed Dynamo where Lichfield City are the visitors. The winners of that match could steal the final playoff spot from Coleshill Town but in the case of Lichfield, an eight goal swing would be required as well as defeat for Coleshill at AFC Rushden & Diamonds.
Racing Club Warwick would take 5th if they better Coleshill's result, unless - in the case of a draw - there's a winner at Shepshed and again in the case of the away side, a significant change in the goal difference.
Clear as mud!

(13th) AFC Rushden & Diamonds vs. Coleshill Town (5th)
(1st) Anstey Nomads vs. Wellingborough Town (9th)
(18th) Bedworth United vs. Mickleover FC (15th)
(4th) Belper Town vs. Bourne Town (19th)
(14th) Boldmere St. Michaels vs. Loughborough Students (16th)
(2nd) Carlton Town vs. Coventry Sphinx (21st)
(11th) Corby Town vs. Sutton Coldfield Town (12th)
(10th) Long Eaton United vs. Basford United (3rd)
(6th) Racing Club Warwick vs. St. Neots Town (20th)
(17th) Rugby Borough vs. Rugby Town (22nd)
(7th) Shepshed Dynamo vs. Lichfield City (8th)