Due to an odd number of teams being in the league this season, it was Shirebrook’s turn to be ‘the odd one out’ and have a weekend off which has given them almost a week to regroup from last midweek’s 4-1 defeat at current leaders Nostell MW.

Despite taking an early lead, Shirebrook fell to their second defeat at ‘The Welfare Ground’ in the space of a fortnight following up their League Cup exit 14 days previous, against the free-scoring Wakefield outfit who have enjoyed a blistering start to the campaign.

Before that, Shirebrook had got themselves off the mark for the season with a 3-1 home success over neighbours Teversal FC and they will be looking for more of the same against another neighbour as the 15th placed Wrens make the short trip to Langwith Road.

Rainworth have taken five points from their opening five games (their home game against Hallam was abandoned at half-time a fortnight ago), their sole success so far coming in the shape of a victory over Clipstone FC, bouncing back from 2-0 down to take a point off Teversal last week.

Like Shirebrook, they experienced two defeats in two weeks against the same Yorkshire opponent (one league meeting and one in the League Cup) as they were beaten twice in 14 days at Armthorpe Welfare.

On Saturday, they were the latest team to be beaten by free-scoring Nostell who went to the top of the league with a 4-0 win at Kirklington Road.

Both sides have found goals difficult to come by in their league games to date this season, their five goals each is the current second joint lowest in the division.

Competitive meetings have been very infrequent as the sides have usually played their football in different divisions, other than the previous two in the now-defunct East Midlands Counties League, the first of which was, obviously, deemed null and void due to Covid-19 and last season’s season was curtailed before the sides had met.

So, the only two competitive meetings between the sides in the last 20 years was in the 2009/10 season when Rainworth did the double over Shirebrook (1-0 at home and 4-0 at Langwith Road) on their way to a second-place finish in the NCEL Premier Division which was ultimately enough for the Wrens to be promoted to the Evo-Stik NPL South Division (Step 4) for the first time in their history.

Admission is £5.00 Adults, £3.00 Concession and £1.00 for Kids.

There is a snack cabin on the ground, selling hot and cold refreshments and a fully licenced clubhouse situated next to the football ground.