Festive football: Beard hoping for win at Heath, déjà vu derby for YMCA

The festive footballing calendar is again set to serve up some delightful derby clashes.
By The Newsroom
Published 26th Dec 2016, 09:00 BST
Updated 29th Dec 2016, 15:02 BST

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SCFL Premier Division: Loxwood, Manager Mark Beard. Pic Steve Robards SR1608272 12-03-16 SUS-160315-135004001SCFL Premier Division: Loxwood, Manager Mark Beard. Pic Steve Robards SR1608272 12-03-16 SUS-160315-135004001
SCFL Premier Division: Loxwood, Manager Mark Beard. Pic Steve Robards SR1608272 12-03-16 SUS-160315-135004001

In a somewhat subdued Christmas period our local Southern Combination League Premier Division sides are not in action on Boxing Day.

Instead, the eagerly-anticipated local derby between Broadbridge Heath and Loxwood takes place at the Leisure Centre on Wednesday night (7.45pm).

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The fixture always provides thrilling entertainment and Magpies manager Mark Beard is looking to put a stop to his worst run since joining the club.

Loxwood have lost five on the bounce and Beard said: “We need to win, we have been on a bit of a bad run and lost five in a row.

“We have not done that since I have been here. We obviously need a win and need to get a bit of confidence back.”

The Bears go into the clash sitting in sixth place, just behind the leading pack and 12 points off the top-two.

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Horsham YMCA are in action a day earlier on Tuesday night away to Crawley Down Gatwick.

Manager Peter Buckland is appreciative of a ten-day break and looking forward to locking horns with former YM reserve team manager Paul Cooper and a number of former players.

He said “It is a bit of déjà vu or me as most of them up there are our old reserve side including the manager, they will probably love to put one over on us.

“They seem to be doing ok, they are only just behind us in their first season up here.

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“It should be a good game, they are like us in that they score a lot but concede as well. I think our goal difference is the worst it has been since I have been at the club.”

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Related topics:YMCAPremier DivisionLoxwood