Sleaford Town running on empty at Leicester Nirvana

Town manager Jamie Shaw cut a frustrated figure on the touchline as Sleaford were second-best in a below-par performance at Leicester Nirvana.

Doubling up as coach driver, Shaw was still digesting the 3-1 defeat when their transport ran out of diesel, giving the keen runner an impromptu half-mile jog to the nearest filling station.

“Due to the poor weather a number of players asked if they could be dropped off at their house rather than nearby,” Shaw explained.

“As a result the diesel I thought we had ran out quicker than expected because of the extra stopping and starting.

“I had a jog to get a can of diesel to get us back going again, but that’s one of the perils of being bus driver as well as manager I guess!”

A well-taken Scott Coupland goal gave Town a 13th-minute lead in Saturday’s United Counties league Premier clash.

But the strike came against the run of play and Nirvana were level by half-time, albeit with a touch of fortune as Matthew Slinn’s speculative long-range effort caught the wind and flew over keeper Regan Start.

Coupland, Couzens and Hayden all forced saves after the break, but Nirvana hit the front with 20 minutes left through Deen Master before sub Aboubacar Cisse grabbed a late third.

“The match itself was very disappointing and our performance was below the standards we expect,” Shaw said.

“Outside of our goal we didn’t show enough quality or application to get anything from the game.”

The defeat dropped Town to 15th and Shaw will hope for a reaction from his side when they travel to third-placed Deeping Rangers next Tuesday evening (kick-off 7.45pm).