Holbeach United are drawing on their reserves to cope with a punishing climax to the season.
The Tigers are paying the price for having a host of matches postponed over the winter – they played just once between December 28 and February 6.
Last Saturday, at the end of a four-match week, boss Tom Roberts turned to one of the club’s stalwarts still doing the business in the Reserves to help out.
Steve “Oddy” Barnes (40) made a substitute appearance in the 3-2 defeat at Kirby Muxloe.
The midfielder’s last UCL Premier Division appearance was six years ago as a right-back for Yaxley against Sleaford.
Oddy started in UCL football for Holbeach as a 16-year-old, making around 500 appearances – and added another in Leicestershire last weekend.
He said: “I got 20 minutes on Saturday and did OK.
“It was good to be involved. I enjoyed the minutes I got on the pitch and who knows I might be needed again before the end of the season.”
The Tigers face another four-match week, starting with Eynesbury at Carter’s Park on Saturday, followed by trips to Wisbech Town on Tuesday and Rothwell Corinthians on Thursday, and finishing with Newport Pagnell Town at home on Saturday week.
To put the Tigers’ schedule into perspective, they will have played one third as many matches in 30 days as Leicester City have played in the Premier League the entire season.
Roberts said: “It’s a big club effort. You can see that the lads are mentally as well as physically tired.
“They are doing an eight-hour day at work and then turning out for two midweek matches. Josh Ford, for instance, has played four 90 minutes in a week.”
It’s a balancing act for Roberts who has one eye on keeping players fresh for the UCL Knockout Cup final against Peterborough Sports at Deeping Rangers on Monday, May 2 (3pm).
Meanwhile, another club veteran had a moment to savour last Saturday. Dean Elston’s 20-yard goal put the Reserves en route to an eye-catching 2-1 defeat of Whittlesey Athletic in the Peterborough League Premier Division.
