The 2023/24 SIL Senior Division campaign starts for Ransomes Sports with a mid-week fixture this Tuesday (Aug. 22nd) away at newly promoted Tattingstone United, KO 6.30 pm.
Newcomers Tattingstone Utd have been handed a blue-riband fixture for their first competitive home match, and they may just fancy getting the better of a Ransomes side yet to start their campaign this term. Tattinstone Utd's first home fixture as a Senior club offers them a chance to make a stellar start to the campaign following their opening day success at Claydon as they look to make a real statement of intent at the beginning of their journey. It is not an easy home start by any means for the hosts, as they will have the pressure on their side to perform well against a team that is expected to compete at the top end of the table this season.
Tattingstone were massive in Division One last season and finished equal on points with champions Stowupland Falcons to gain their promotion. For any newly promoted team, the biggest challenge is always to keep in the top Division during that first season, and achieving something above that will come as a bonus.
Ransomes travel to Bourne Vale having not been involved at the weekend due to the odd number of teams in the Division this year. They will undoubtedly be embarking on another challenging season, and the narrative around their new campaign will be to try and break the Henley Ath / Halesworth Town stranglehold on the Division.
The team is more or less in tact from last season with only a couple of departues during the summer, and they will enter the season with lofty ambitions, and hope for a winning start - but they will need to keep motivated and hungry for success. Will they have the magic to conjure up the right performance at the right time as mid week fixtures are notoriously tricky.