Match Preview: Barwell (A), Mon 19th Oct, 7.45PM

Date: Monday 19th October 2026

Time: 7:45pm

Opponent: Barwell FC

Venue: Kirkby Road, Barwell, Leicestershire, LE9 8FQ

Admission Prices: £12 Adults, £8 Concessions, £4 Under 16s, Under 11s free

Nuneaton Town make the short trip over to south Leicestershire on Monday night as they take on Barwell at Kirkby Road in this season’s A47 derby. It’s set to be a tasty encounter given the recent history between the two sides as they meet for the first time since the final match at Liberty Way.

Nuneaton saw their 6 match winning run come to an end on Saturday afternoon against Belper Town in a 2-1 defeat, as former Nuneaton man Tyrell Waite scored a second half winner against the 10 man home side. So they will be looking to bounce back against their local rivals.

Barwell have had a tricky start to the season and sit in 19th place currently, with 10 points from 14 games and were on a run of 5 straight defeats until picking up a point at Bourne Town on Saturday. The Canaries did however blow a 2-0 lead and finished with 9 men. They recently re-appointed Jimmy Ginnelly as Director of Football, the former Nuneaton Borough owner and manager. Since then they have added former Boro defender Scott McManus from Coalville Town and Bo Morris from Lichfield City. Other former Boro players in the Barwell squad include Brady Hickey, Charlie Dowd and Herve Pepe Ngoma. 

It’s set to be a feisty derby on Monday night, can Nuneaton bounce back from defeat and continue their good recent run of form?

Previous meetings:

Sat 14 Oct 2023 - Southern League Premier Central

Nuneaton Borough 0-1 Barwell

Sat 3 Dec 2022 - Southern League Premier Central

Barwell 3-1 Nuneaton Borough 

(Beswick)

About our opponents:

Barwell FC were formed in 1992 as a merger of Barwell Athletic and Hinckley FC, taking Hinckley’s place in the Midland Combination. They are nicknamed The Canaries after their green and yellow kits. They were founder members of the Midland Alliance in 1994, and have risen up through the leagues since, to Step 4 in 2009-10 after winning the league, and Step 3 the following season after winning the league again. They remained there until suffering a first ever relegation last season after 15 years in the NPL Premier and Southern League Premier Central, and have made a difficult start in the NPL Division 1 Midlands this season. They reached the FA Vase semi finals in 2009-10, losing out to Whitley Bay.

Kirkby Road houses both the village’s football club and cricket club, and was a former temporary home of Nuneaton Borough after their expulsion from Liberty Way. Their imposing 256 seat main stand was installed in 2001, using some of the seats from Filbert Street, the old Leicester City ground. The ground is also home to Hinckley AFC. 

Fun facts:

Barwell is derived from Stream of the Boar, and is said to originate from a boar drinking from a brook near the village. 

Fragments of a meteorite fell on the village on Christmas Eve 1965. One fragment destroyed a car, but the insurance refused as it was an ‘Act of God’. A plaque in the village commemorates this event.

Directions from Nuneaton town centre:

Take the A47 to the A5 via The Long Shoot, then continue back onto the A47 towards Leicester at the McDonalds on the corner. At the traffic light junction with the A447 go straight on to continue on the A47, and at the next roundabout turn left towards Barwell. Upon reaching the centre of the village go straight on at the roundabout and then immediately right onto Kirkby Road where the ground is on the right opposite the park. Follow the driveway past the cricket pitch to reach the ground.

Public transport:

The fastest and most direct way to the ground is by bus, take the 148 bus at 18:31 from Nuneaton Bus Station, arriving at Barwell centre at 19:04, and walk up Kirkby Road to the ground. Bus 158 also goes on the same route. Returning take the 22:03 158 bus arriving at 22:35, or the 22:40 148 bus arriving at 23:13.

Local pubs:

Barwell sports bar is at the ground, or the Blacksmith’s Arms and Cross Keys are in the village centre.