Louth Town set to shake off the rust after six week lay-off with friendly at Retford United

The White Wolves were on a roll when postponements halted their momentum and they have since endured a frustrating six week lay-off.

“Everyone will get some minutes at Retford,” said boss Carl Martin.

“We have not had a competitive game since 22nd November so we are going to be rusty and our match sharpness will be lacking. We need to get some minutes into the lads' legs.

“It will be a good work-out to dust off the cobwebs so we can hopefully hit the ground running as we get back into league action at the start of a new year.

“It will be a tough one as Retford have not lost in the Central Midlands all season.

“We went there pre-season and they turned us over 3-0 and I am sure they will go on and win the Central Midlands League and move up. So it will be a good test.

“But it is just about getting the match sharpness right and really kicking on for Saturday so we can start the year with a bang.”

Louth host Cleethorpes Town Reserves on Saturday and Martin said: “Cleethorpes will be another tough one. We went there midweek late last year and scraped a draw with a 96th minute equaliser. If you don't turn up on the day and take your chances anything can happen in this league. But we are relishing getting back into action as it's been such a long break.

“They are a young side who play the game the right way and their manager has got them playing really well at the moment.”

An extra incentive to win is that leaders Lincoln Moorlands Railway are away to third placed Nettleham and a win for Louth and defeat for Moorlands would send the White Wolves to the table summit to start 2023 in style.

“Nettleham v Moorlands is a huge game to come back with for the first of the new year,” said Martin. “But we have to do our job first and foremost.”

Martin has had his players in for a few sessions during the lay-off.

“We had the lad in training a couple of times over Christmas just to get them together and get back the camaraderie and banter as well as helping with their fitness,” he said.