PREVIEW: Title contenders hope to catch their rivals on the hop

ICA Sports boss Hamish Curtis has set his sights on further Peterborough & District League Premier Division progress this season.
ICA Sports and Peterborough Sports Reserves shared the Jack Hogg Memorial Trophy.ICA Sports and Peterborough Sports Reserves shared the Jack Hogg Memorial Trophy.
ICA Sports and Peterborough Sports Reserves shared the Jack Hogg Memorial Trophy.

The city side kick-off the new campaign with a Sunday (July 30) trip to Leverington – the 2pm fixture forming part of an organised tour of this area for non-league ground-hoppers.

And Curtis is keen for his men to build on their sixth-placed finish last term while also putting up a strong defence of the PFA Senior Cup, which they lifted at the ABAX Stadium back in May.

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Curtis said: “We’ve got a lot of lads away for the first game so it will be a tough opener, but we’re looking forward to it.

“We’ve enjoyed a good pre-season and I’m pleased with the signings we’ve made.

“We knew we would lose a couple of important players and that we had to improve the squad to ensure we continue to progress. Hopefully we can better the sixth position we managed last season and we’ll definitely look to retain the PFA Senior Cup as well.

“It was a good achievement for the club to lift that trophy and being able to manage a team for the final with my son involved was the icing on the cake.”

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Prolific striker Scott Spearink is one of many new ICA recruits. Cardin Pierre-Liverpool and former AFC Stanground Sports men , Luke McDowell, Dan Stephens and Sam Cross, have also signed on along with Kenny Wheatland, Mostafa Jafar and ‘keeper Danny Mountcastle.

ICA shared the Jack Hogg Memorial Shield after a 2-2 draw with reigning Premier Division champions Peterborough Sports Reserves at the weekend.

Josh Smith, who will play most of his football with United Counties Division One side Pinchbeck United this season, and Spearink scored for ICA with Jack Barron and Jordan Fiddes replying for Sports Reserves.

The Peterborough Premier Division season kicks off with a game between Moulton Harrox and Sutton Bridge United at Broad Lane tomorrow (July, 29 1.45pm).

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On the same day Holbeach host Sleaford in the first local United Counties Premier Division game of the 2017-18 campaign (10.45am).

WEEKEND FIXTURES

Friday July 28: United Counties Division One: Huntingdon v Pinchbeck (7.45pm).

Friendlies: Deeping Rangers v Doncaster Rovers Youth.

Saturday July 29: United Counties Premier Division: Holbeach v Sleaford (10.45am). United Counties Division One: Bourne v Raunds (7.45pm).

Peterborough Premier Division: Moulton Harrox v Sutton Bridge United (1.45pm). Peterborough Division Two: Spalding Town v Wisbech St Mary Saints (4.30pm).

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Friendlies: Spalding United v Peterborough Northern Star, Stamford AFC v Peterborough United, St Ives v Peterborough Sports, Yaxley v Godmanchester.

Sunday July 30: United Counties Premier Division: Wisbech v Wellingborough (5pm). Peterborough Division One: Long Sutton v Tydd St Mary (11am). Peterborough Premier Division: Leverington v ICA (2pm).