Saturday 11th November 2023
RACING CLUB WARWICK v COGENHOE UNITED
Townsend Meadow,
Hampton Rd,
Warwick.
CV34 6JP
KO 3-pm
The Cooks return to action tomorrow following last week’s wash-out and there is little chance of a repeat of that as our hosts Racing Club Warwick play on a 3G pitch these days. The Racers are currently in third place but have a game in hand of March Town and have amassed just two points less, while they are now seven points adrift of leaders Wellingborough.
This will be first time we have played a team twice this season in the league and we are aiming for a double after defeating the then leaders 3-2 at Compton Park back at the start of September. Goals from Dylan Wilson and Harley Mallard had given us a two-goal lead in the game, but an Archie Hamp effort and an unfortunate own goal from Mallard levelled things up at 2-2. The Racers would now have been firm favourites to go and win the game, but the Cooks were in no mood to end this one empty handed and after Mallard had been fouled in the box, Wilson stepped up to fire home his second goal of the game from the resulting penalty and secure all three points for the Cooks.
The Cooks, of course, lost their way for a few weeks following this win but beat Godmanchester here 1-0 last time out thanks to Bailey Weatherly’s late goal, while The Racers bounced straight back with a stunning 5-0 win at Daventry Town and more recent form has seen them avoid defeat in the last seven outings, winning six and drawing one. Last time out they recorded and excellent 2-1 home win over fellow challengers St Neots Town at Townsend Meadow with Louie Monaghan and Josh Parsons goals outweighing Jordan Brown’s effort for the Saints.
Scott Carlin will hand a debut to new keeper John Meadows tomorrow, while Dennis Nkrumah is also in line for his Cooks bow, while big news this week has seen Ben Gough return the Cooks on dual-registration from AFC Rushden & Diamonds. Ben was a very popular figure at Compton Park at the start of last season before being plagued by an injury and indeed became the first player-of-the-month under Biff’s management, but was to hook up with the Diamonds for the latter part of the season. Callum Farmer will be missing tomorrow and the following game as he sits out a two-match ban for his red card after the final whistle against Easington, while one player we won’t be seeing again in blue is Damien Osoimoejiokhian who was been lured away by Daventry Town with a bumper pay-rise probably the main reason for his leaving. Damo, despite a slow start at the club and a lot of chalk on the team’s board, grew in stature for the club with some very good performances for the Cooks and I wish him well in his new venture. Judging by the team they brought to Compton Park a few weeks back, he will need to work very hard to ensure a regular starting place over there. We will be catching up with again very soon as out next game is at Daventry on the 18th November.
