Horncastle Town target winning start, but Wongers want to build for next season

Horncastle Town will get their Lincs League Cup campaign underway on Saturday.

The Wongers secured a 4-0 friendly win over Sleaford Town Rangers at The Wong this weekend as they prepare to face Nettleham in South League action.

“We want to get off to a winning start,” said manager Mickey Stones.

“We don’t want to put too much pressure on the group we have as we want to build for next season. If you start saying we’ve got to win this, players start doing things we’ve not asked them to do.

“When you play under pressure sometimes you can rush it a bit and not carry out the instructions you’ve been given.

“We want to win every competition we’re in but we are seeing this as a good opportunity to get things into place for next season.”

The Nettles kicked off their cup campaign on Saturday, beating Lincoln Moorlands Railway 4-2 at home.

Horncastle, however, will be looking to be leaving Mulsanne Park with the victory (KO 1pm).

Saturday’s contest against Sleaford was due to to be The Wongers’ first South League contest.

However, Rangers have pulled out of the competition due to being unable to sign on any new players under league rules.

“It was a blow really. You’ve been looking forward to getting back to it, but we tried to stay positive and thankfully they agreed to play us in a friendly,” Stones added. “I have a little bit of sympathy with them but everyone is in the same boat.

“We were pleased (with the result), it gave us another game and a chance to keep working on things and how we want to play, rather than the pressure of a must win game.

“It was a game we hoped we would win and it would have been a good chance to get three points on the board.

“We had a good performance, so we have gained something from it.”

Luke Blondel scored twice while Andrew Bullivant and a trialist also found the net.

RESULTS: North League: Appleby Frodingham 1 Tetney Rovers 3, Bottesford Town Development Squad 1 Nunsthorpe Tavern 6, Epworth Town Colts 1 Keelby United 0, Grimsby Borough Reserves 3 Immingham Town 3. South League: Grantham Town FC Academy 1 Wyberton 2, Lincoln United Development Squad 1 Louth Town 2, Nettleham 4 Lincoln Moorlands Railway 2.