Sleaford boss believes Bourne are 'the best team we have played’

The Greens were three goals down at the break, with another goal midway through the second-half sealing their fate against a side who went into the Boxing Day fixtures just four points behind leaders Eastwood and who have scored over 100 goals in all competitions this season.

And Evans gave an honest opinion when talking to the club’s media after the game.

He said: “They’re the best team we’ve played. I put my hands up, they were better than us in every department and I think it said it all that our man of the match was our goalkeeper, Harrison Leech, who I thought made some fantastic saves.

"I actually enjoyed watching Bourne play at certain times and I’ve said to our players, that’s where we want to be.

"Three years ago I came up against Bourne with my previous club and they were nowhere near that, but this is where the journey can take you if you stick together, keep working hard, get that quality at both ends of the pitch, know what you’re good at, stick to your strengths and you can produce performances like that.

"It could have been a lot worse but for Harrison’s saves. He’s a young, resilient goalkeeper and he’s shown today the kind of quality that he’s got and hopefully we’ll get to see some more of that over the next few weeks.”

Sleaford are due to travel to Boston Town on Boxing Day to take on a side currently four points outside the play-off places.

They then have a break until January 4 when they open 2025 with a home game against Heanor Town, that then followed by a ten-day break before they face Bourne Town again, this time on the road on Tuesday, January 14.

Evans added: “Boston will be a completely different kind of opposition but we’ll be as competitive as we can be and we’d love a point or three for Christmas.”