Tuesday 30th September 2025 ko 19:45

Notts Saturday Senior Cup First Round

STAPLEFORD TOWN 3 (Harrison 23 Phillips 48 Hughes 87)

DUNKIRK 2 (Walsh 68 Wilson 81)

Att 78

In the nicest possible way it was a shame this game was taking place. Two weeks earlier the game had been abandoned, due to a serious injury to Stapleford defender Mitchell Robinson, but I happened to be working in Nottingham on the day of this re-arranged tie. Whatever the opposite of serendipity is- this was it!

It was an interesting visit as this was Stapleford’s first season back at Hickings Lane, some groundhoppers may remember Rob Hornby organising a Notts Senior Hop game here in 2016. While the ground was completely rebuilt the club shared at the likes of Borrowash Victoria then Radford.

That said, I doubt many would recognise the place, the rebuild is complete! I’ve seen some criticisms of the new place, based around it being rather faceless, but aren’t all 3G cages? Others point to the rather cramped pitchside footprint, you can’t walk around the pitch completely and that expansion should the club be promoted to Step 4 would be difficult.

There is a of course a bigger picture. The new build has allowed The Saxons to play at Step 6 so worrying about Step 4 seems a little premature, and while the ground is a little tight, the clubhouse with its upstairs bar area is superb. More to the point it does precisely what Stapleford need it to for the time being and that’s to host United Counties League games.

And while this game had been somewhat delayed and was a little further when the floodlights failed, thank heaven these LED ones you can fire up again straightaway, the game was well worth the long drove home afterwards. The Saxons thought they’d done enough to win during the first half but Dunkirk roared back after the break and equalised with 9 minutes left. Just as penalties looked inevitable Stapleford won the game with the classic sucker punch.. it did get me home slightly earlier!