Season 2006-07

LEICESTER POLSKA were guaranteed promotion to the Premier League next season after Andy Ilnicki came off the bench to score 2 and inspire a fightback after Polska trailed at half time. Polska were the inferior side in the first half, and were soon behind after Welford took the lead on 12 minutes. Polska's best move of the opening 45 was when Dave Kendall made a storming run down the right hand side on 31 minutes and crossed the ball in for Chris Rudkin who saw the Welford keeper tip his shot over the bar. From the resulting corner, Ross Grocock then agonisingly saw his goal bound bullet header cleared off the line. Polska rang the changes at half time - switching to a 4-4-2 formation for the first time since September, with Jamie White sacrificed for Stu Matthews who came on at left back. Matthews even managed to collect the 13th yellow card of his Polska career before the half even started! Polska looked much stronger in the second half, and fought back impressively. They thought they had equalised when a Rudkin effort on 54 minutes hit the post and appeared to cross the line, but the referee was unmoved. Grocock then hit the post on 64 minutes after tremendous work from Adam Dyke. But it was half-fit substitute Andy Ilnicki who sealed the win. Coming on in the 71st minute, he equalised after just 6 minutes after getting on the end of two tremendous passes from Rich Ellis and Rudkin. And then a minute later, he sealed Polska's win after scrambling home from a corner. It was the first time a Polska sub had come on and scored 2 goals since Matt Zydkiewiecz got a couple against Academy Builders in September 2004. Polska now face top-flight football for the first time since 1990, and will aim to round off their season next weekend by beating arch rivals Countsthorpe Athletic.