The villages of East Bergholt and Capel St Mary are only a mile apart, which creates a very competitive atmosphere when the annual SIL Senior Division matches come around.

Over the years, many of the players on both sides have been former class mates at East Bergholt High school, in fact this game should be known as “The Old Form” derby.

Current managers, David Goodchild at East Bergholt and Nathan Burrell of Capel Plough, are both former pupils.

The teams meet at Gandish Road this weekend.

“We were a few years apart however we were in the same House, ‘Illaries’,” Goodchild said.

“But we have been friends for years, although we will be rivals for 90 minutes on Saturday. It is the closeness of both clubs that adds that bit of steel when these games come round.

“Ryan Bedingfield, Danny Garrad, Tom Barnes, Dan Page and Sean Gunn in Capel’s ranks are all former Bergholt players, while Bergholt’s Liam Powell, Kieran Tynan and Harry Franklin all started at Capel Plough.”

Burrell enjoyed success at Brantham Reserves a few seasons ago, taking them to league and cup titles, he has recruited a number of those players in his current Capel squad who are riding high at the top of the SIL senior division.

Skipper Shaun Webb is the leading scorer for Capel and a dominant force in the Plough side, while Bergholt are without their injured skipper Ben Bibby, although they will have summer signings Aaron Greenwood, Ethan Boon and Ben Smith playing in their first derby games.

Last season Capel won at Gandish Road while Bergholt won the return fixture at Capel.

Capel will be looking to cement their place at the top of the table and Bergholt will be looking to continue their recent good run.

In other Senior division fixtures, basement dwellers Grundisburgh travel to Bourne Vale, while Henley can put pressure on the top sides if they beat Claydon.

There’s a north Suffolk derby as Leiston St Margarets entertain Benhall, Westerfield entertain Cops.

In the Bob Coleman Cup, Cranes and Bramford meet and there is also an all-senior clash between Trimley and Haughley at Trimley. Wenhaston travel to division two Kirton.