Athersley Rec could come up against former Barnsley man Jonathan Greening tomorrow after a busy week.
Rec won 3-2 at Maltby – who had three players sent off – on Saturday then drew 1-1 at Worksop Town on Wednesday.
Tomorrow, Athersley – who have the best defensive record in the NCEL Premier – host league leaders Tadcaster Albion who Greening joined earlier in the season to play alongside his brother Josh.
The 35-year-old won the Champions League with Manchester United in 1999 then played for Middlesbrough and Fulham in the Premier League before joining Nottingham Forest where he was loaned out to Barnsley for six games in the 2012/13 season.
Rec manager Pete Goodlad met Greening several years ago when they sat together at the wedding of his former West Brom team-mate Geoff Horsfield, who played for Athersley as a teenager.
Goodlad said: "I joked to Greening at the wedding that he wasn't good enough to get in our team and I will remind him of that if we beat them on Saturday. It will be fantastic for my lads to play against someone who has been at such a high level."
Rec fell behind after five minutes at Maltby but levelled on 25 when Danny Joynes turned in a Jack Briscoe cross. Maltby then were reduced to ten men after an alleged elbow on Kyle Cook. Josh Moore put Rec 2-1 up then, after the hosts levelled, he set up Joynes to make it 3-2 on 69 minutes.
Athersley goalkeeper Neil May gave away a penalty but saved it brilliantly. The hosts had a goal disallowed in the 89th minute and one of their players was subsequently sent off for dissent. Maltby got a third red card for a handball on the line so Joynes had the chance to complete his hat-trick but the home goalkeeper saved the penalty.
Athersley then visited Worksop Town on Wednesday night and drew 1-1. Kieran Scargill gave them the lead with a low free-kick in the 34th minute but the hosts levelled with 18 minutes to play. Jack Briscoe hit the post late on for Rec who are eighth in the league.
