With the continued wet weather this week, the weekend fixtures will be in doubt, however all of the Town sides will prepare for their fixtures as normal.
Town 1st Team are in Charity Shield Quarter Final action at Tucker Park, when NBFL Division 1 title challengers Lambourn Sports visit for a 1.30pm kick off. Town reached this round, following the expulsion of Berinsfield FC after it was found they played an ineligible player. Not the way Town had hoped to progress, but rules are rules and they will now hope they can turn their season around and cause a major upset. Sports are in a good run of form and come into the match following last weekends 1-0 home win over Wallingford Town. Their squad is full of former Hellenic & Southern League players and their top scorer and main threat will be Ben Matthews who has scored 16 times in 12 fixtures. Town are buoyed by a much improved performance last Saturday and will welcome back striker Rich Evans from suspension.
Town Reserves make a journey south down the A34 towards Newbury, to take on Turnpike Sports in NBFL Division 2. Kick off at the Turnpike Sports Ground is 2.00pm and the Town squad know that they must start collecting points if they are to have any chance of surviving relegation. Town have yet failed to win since the 31st October and this was in cup action. Apart from the two Kintbury Reserves fixtures, the side has not been blown away by their opponents, but their failure to score goals is the sides Achilles heel. Sports have gained successive championships in Divisions 4 & 3 and had been primed as a challenger this season. They do have games in hand, however will be disappointed by last weekends home defeat to Westminster FC. Town will be without strikers Colin Yates, Dave Cole & James Tyler, Matty Hickson drops down from 1st Team action and new signing Nathan Peters will hope to be involved too.
The A Team are also in a relegation dogfight and after last weekends humbling by Hagbourne United, they have an immediate opportunity to put the performance to bed, when fellow strugglers Abingdon Town Reserves visit Tucker Park for a 2.00pm kick off. Abingdon currently sit on 6 points, gained in their opening three fixtures of the season, including a 4-0 home defeat of Town ‘A’. However, they are on a run of 11 straight defeats and come into the match on the back of a 2-0 defeat to Berinsfield Reserves last weekend. With Town one place higher in the league and one point to the good, they will hope to make it 12 defeats for the visitors. Ryan Sharps will come in from the Reserves to gain valuable minutes and a number of other squad members will be available for selection.
Youths – Saturday
It is on the under 10’s in action on Saturday morning, as Harwell & Hendred visit Tucker Park for a Development fixture, 10.30am kick off.
Youths – Sunday
On Sunday morning, the under 12’s are scheduled to be at home in their Spring C League, as Florence Park visit Tucker Park for a 10.30am kick off. This will be a tough match for Town, with the visitors opening with two wins from two matches. Town have drawn one and lost last time out.
The under 16’s are hoping to get under their belts for 2016, when they welcome Milton United for a OIY B League fixture. United are currently riding high at the top of the table with Town sitting in in fourth, 9 points adrift but with two games in hand. The sides met on the opeing weekend, with Town losing 1-0.
The under 17’s are once again on the road and it’s back to Summertown in Oxford, but this time to face bottom side Athletic. Town are in good spirits after their impressive 5-0 away win last weekend and with the host pointless, Town will be favourites for the points in this 2.00pm kick off.
All other youth sides are without a fixture this weekend.
