PREVIEW: Barwell (H)
By Kurt Barnes
When: 4th July 2026 (13:00 KO)
Where: Farley Way Stadium, Farley Way, Quorn LE12 8RB
What3Words: ///archive.corporate.tight
Quorn’s pre-season preparations start with a test against a familiar opponent in Barwell. Ryan Beswick has been busy in the transfer window with new signings Tim Berridge, Luke Shaw, Ethan Bojang and Ben Blythe all hoping to make an immediate impact.
Quorn’s Form:
The Reds come into the first pre-season game on the back off an impressive Leicestershire senior cup final win against Loughborough Students, winning 2-0 back at the start of May. The Reds ended their first season at step three with a respectable 8th placed finish in the Southern Central Premier League. Now having been moved into the Northern Premier, they will be hoping to build on that impressive first season. The form towards the end of the season had dipped slightly, with a defeat away to Redditch United on the final day, that left them five points outside of the playoffs. The Reds are winless in the last two home games, losing 2-1 to Leiston and then drawing 2-2 with Needham Market, but did however record a good 1-0 win against AFC Sudbury on Good Friday.
The Opposition:
Barwell unfortunately suffered a disappointing campaign last season in the Southern Central Premier League. The Canaries were relegated for a second successive season, having received a reprieve the previous season. The 2026/27 season will be the first time Barwell have played in step four since promotion fifteen years ago. They did however end last seasonon a positive result, beating Bishop’s Stortford 3-1, but they are on a treacherous run away from home which has seen no wins all the way back to the 8th November, where they beat AFC Sudbury 3-1. They will travel to Quorn after an impressive 4-0 first pre-season win over Lutterworth Town at Kirkby Road on the weekend. The Reds will be familiar with Barwell’s new signing Deen Master, who is now in his second spell with The Canaries after rejoining from a one season stint at The Reds. Master quickly became a fan favourite with the Reds with his stellar performances at full back.
Head-to-Head:
The two sides met three times last season with a memorable 3-0 win for The Reds coming most recently in the Leicestershire Senior Cup semi-final. However, it is The Canaries who were unbeaten in the league meetings last season. A day to forget for the Reds who lost 1-0 at home on a sunny Bank Holiday last August. However, The Reds did fight to earn a 2-2 draw when the short trip was made across the county in a cold festive fixture. Goals came from Simeone Cobourne and Zak Goodson. With the latter signing on for another season in what the Reds can hope will be another good campaign for the tricky forward.
One-to-Watch:
Brady Hickey is a name will certainly be familiar in the non-league scene. The former Canaries player who rejoined from title winning Harborough Town just a few weeks ago. The midfielder played an incredible 50 games in all competitions scoring an impressive 21 goals for The Bees, helping them top the Southern Central Premier League. He will be one for the Reds to try to contain and stop from adding another goal to his name.
Ticket prices:
Adults: £10.00, Concessions: £5.00, U16’s: Free
