Its a full compliment of Senior fixtures this weekend, whilst the Under 16’s are the only Youth side in action, due to the school half term.
Town 1st Team, will take some heart and positives from their second half performance last weekend at title chasers Lambourn Sports, when they travel to mid-table Abingdon Town in NBFL Division 1. Kick off at Culham Road is 2.30pm, with Town looking to pick up their third victory of the season, whilst the hosts are comfortable in 6th position and hoping to mirror the result at Tucker Park earlier in the season, when Abingdon came away with a 2-0 victory, courtesy of two late strikes. A win for Town will put pressure on the sides above them and put clear daylight between them and bottom side Dorchester FC. Squad news is that striker Dan Oyston is away for a second weekend and centre half Martyn Gatehouse is still nursing a knee injury, however new signing Jordan Wilkins will be hoping to impress on his club debut.
The Reserves are back in cup action, with NBFL Division 3 side Saxton Rovers Reserves the visitors to Tucker Park in the 1/4 Final of the Nairne Paul Trophy, kick off 2.00pm. Town will go into the match with much needed confidence after recent cup and league results and will hope to reach a second semi final, to match their AG Kingham Cup exploits. Rovers who were relegated from Division 2 last season, have found the step down just as tough and currently sit second bottom of the division. However, with Town bottom of Division 2, this is no easy task and you can guarantee that any Rovers side will battle to the final whistle. Rovers main goal threat will be Michael Smith, with 8 goals from 10 games, however Town’s chances are enhanced by the return of Colin Yates, Phil Thompson, Max Scholefield, Nathan Peters, Chris Kershaw and Neil Docherty, however winger James Tyler is away.
The A’s will hope that last weekend’s battling performance at league leaders Stanford ITV Reserves will stand them in good stead for when another promotion challenger, Lambourn Sports Reserves are the visitors to Tucker Park on Saturday afternoon, kick off 2.30pm. The two sides met in October, with Sports running out 2-0 winners, however their squad was enhanced by first team players. They will come into this fixture, licking their wounds after a 10-2 mauling to fellow promotion chasers East Hendred Reserves, however their squad was seriously lacking in numbers on the day. Town will have centre half Joe Clauson back in their ranks after impressing for the Reserves last weekend, whilst other should also return.
On to Sunday and the Under 16’s who will hope to get their journey to Croperdy FC in the OIY B League out of the way, as a 90 mile round trip awaits for this 2.00pm kick off. Croperdy are located north of Banbury and so far have managed to grab two wins and a draw from their opening seven league fixtures, matching Town’s points total, however we have two games in hand and sit three places higher in the table standings.
