MALBORNE Tigers boss Joe Nicholls is not expecting a title push to materialise, despite his team cruising into the top three of the Blue Zone with a 6-2 win against Deaconians.

A hat-trick from Jake Parish, two from man-of-the-match Sammy Isenovic and an own goal saw Nicholls' side take their tally to seven points from a possible nine after three games of the season.

But rather than make any prediction about where his League Cup holders will finish in the league, the Tigers boss preferred to big up their chances of a successful cup defence.

He said: "We are getting better and better and after drawing with Sawtry in our first game of the season I think we have improved every game.

"And of course it is great to be up to third in the league and if we can match the fourth place we got last year then I will be happy.

"That is because we only have a small squad which will make it hard to put together a title challenge but all the lads are hopeful of putting up a good defence of the cup they won last year – starting at Thurlby in two weeks time.

"Of course we will be giving it everything in the league but unless we can find some new faces we will struggle."

Anyone wishing to join the Tigers can call Joe on 07835 348959 for more details.



MUCH of Parkside's excellent start to the season has been put down to the club's fizzy drinks ban but it all went rather flat in their top of the table clash with Riverside on Saturday.

Going into this clash as White Zone leaders, Andy Burrows' side had high hopes after winning their first three games of the season since banning all fizzy drinks before, during and after matches.

In fact Burrows' table-toppers had not even conceded a goal ahead of the clash with the Reds but all that changed when the prolific Callum Morson struck four times to send his side leapfrogging Parkside to the top of the table.

Billy Bennett hit Riverside's other goal while Alvin Awoyele mustered Parkside's solitary response in the first half.

Burrows said: "We just were not at the races and technically there are all kinds of things we can now go and work on.

"But the progress we have made so far is nothing short of astonishing.

"To win three on the bounce and not concede a goal has been great."