Grimsby Borough Vs Bourne Town: Match Preview

Grimsby Borough Vs Bourne Town: Match Preview

Pre-season is done, preparations complete, and the Wilderness Boys are ready for the competitive action to begin with Saturday’s visit of Bourne Town to the Technica Home of Boro for the Emirates FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round (3pm kick-off).

Both sides will be hoping to start in positive fashion and progress through to the next round of the famous old competition that certainly retains its magic in these early stages where success can mean so much to clubs and players respectively.

Borough have had a positive summer both on and off the pitch. Boss Tom Claisse has added further depth and quality to an experienced squad that showed real signs of improvement towards the end of the last campaign.

He and his Assistant Liam Dickens will be hopeful that the likes of goalkeeper Heath Richardson, defender Billy Bradley, and right-sided wing-back Tristan Drummond will see them  become even more resolute, while the additions of midfielders Josh Clarke and Harvey Cribb offer more technicality and guile to what was an already well-rounded engine room containing the nous of skipper Sam Topliss and playmaking abilities of Alex Flett and Josh Venney, with forwards Charlie Clements and Charlie Burden-Whittleton joining a strong-looking attacking department to compliment the exciting talents of Edwin Essel, Anane Wireko, and Kieron Ceesay.

Friendly performances have certainly shown promising signs. In recent weeks, the Wilderness Boys have beaten Northern League side Thornaby (2-1) and Barton Town of the NCEL Premier Division (3-1) on home soil, before the visit of fellow step four outfit Grantham Town ended all square (1-1) and a trip to NPL Premier Division neighbours Cleethorpes Town finished 2-2. Claisse’s men rounded off their pre-season schedule with the visit of local EFL club Grimsby Town on Tuesday evening, a match that ended in a 3-2 victory thanks to goals from Wireko, Bradley Wood, and a fantastic Mason Couch winner.

Borough’s run to the second qualifying round in last year’s FA Cup was the best in the club’s history. Having won by a solitary goal at AFC Rushden & Diamonds, 2-1 at Blackstones, and 2-1 at Eastwood, then manager Dan Barrett’s side held Southern League Premier Division club Halesowen Town to a 1-1 draw at Bradley, before being comfortably beaten in the West Midlands’ replay.

The Wilderness Boys will be hoping to emulate, or even better, that achievement this season, and will be looking for a victory here to send them into their NPL Division One East opener with Matlock Town on Tuesday evening in good spirits.

Bourne Town will make the 71-mile trip up through Lincolnshire on Saturday with similar aspirations as they too look to kick-off the 2026/27 campaign on a high.

Established in 1883, the Wakes played at step four for the first time in their history last season, and though they found it tough going, finishing 19th on 43 points, they were spared relegation due to their comparative points-per-game ratio combined with Mousehole’s resignation from Southern League.

Manager Dan Flack will be looking for an improvement this time round, and it’s been a busy summer of recruitment at the JJ Mac Stadium, as former Grimsby Town youngster Jaxon Blankley joined permanently after a successful loan spell last season, before midfielders Jack York, Kye Little, and Noah Henderson followed suit., The likes of Josh Randall, Charlie Brooks, Harry McLaughlin, and perhaps most notably, former EFL veteran Michael Bostwick have also signed for the year ahead.

The experienced 38-year-old former Stevenage, Peterborough United, and Lincoln City man, who can play as a central defender or holding midfielder, arrived from Isthmian League Premier Division club St Albans City.

Their summer preparations began with a 5-0 victory at Pinchbeck United, before they followed that up by losing narrowly at March Town United. They then saw off Godmanchester Rovers (2-1), were comfortably beaten (3-0) by Peterborough Sports, and held to a goalless draw by Wisbech Town, before an impressive 5-0 success at Stamford AFC in their last fixture.

Bourne’s best FA Cup runs came in the 1960’s when they reached the third qualifying round on three occasions. Last season’s competition saw them get past Harrowby United, and Wellingborough Town, before bowing out in a first qualifying round replay at Shepshed Dynamo, losing 3-2 after extra time.

We’re looking forward to welcoming the Wakes’ staff, players, officials, and supporters to the Technica Home of Boro for Saturday’s match, and we can’t wait to begin the 2026/27 season in front of our loyal Wilderness Boys faithful.