With the school half term due to commence, the youth sides are without fixtures this weekend, so the senior sides take centre stage, trying to pick up a valuable cup win and league points.
Town 1st Team will be the favourites to progress in the North Berks Cup this weekend, as Division 3 side Hungerford Swifts visit Tucker Park for a 2.30pm kick off. the match was originally due to take place at Swifts Bulpit Lane, but de to Hungerford Town having a home fixture, the match has been swapped. Town are two Divisions higher than the visitors, but will know this will be no easy task as the sides met last season in the same competition, with Town eventually winning 2-0 after extra time. Form will also play a major factor, with Town having picked up just three points from a possible 15, whilst Swifts have 6 from a possible 9 and travel confident after beating Division 2 side Sutton Courtenay 3-1 in the County Cup. The Town squad see’s skipper Mark Simpkins misses out due to a hamstring injury, Andy Capper is unavailable, but Derren Harrington is available after winning his boxing bout last weekend and they welcome Max Scholefield to the squad after impressing for the Reserves.
The Reserves now face a run of five league and cup matches against sides in and around them in Division 2 or lower leagues. This puts the emphasis on them collecting points to stave off any repeat of last seasons bottom two finish and enjoy good cup runs. this Saturday see’s Hanney Utd the visitors, sitting in 7th and Town 8th, both on 6 points but United having played one fewer 90 minutes. Hanney gained promotion last season and their main threat to the Town goal will be from seasonal top scorer James Bishop, who has already found the net 6 times in 4 starts. Town’s plans have been hit with a number of lads unavailable, with Dan Oyston, Dan Pugh, Chris Kershaw and Jamie Steele-Davis missing, however Town welcome Ryan Bradbury from the 1st Team, Jamie Halls from the A’s, plus Sam Long make a welcome return to the club. Kick off at tucker Park is 2.30pm.
Town A Team will be hoping to build on two consecutive league and cup victories as they travel to the land of horses, Lambourn Sports Reserves in NBFL Division 4. Sports have had an encouraging start to the season following their championship winning campaign in Division 5, where they were all conquering. they have picked up two wins, a draw and a defeat in their opening fixtures and are bolstered this season with veteran Sam Mooney leading their front line, who has bags of North Berks and higher league experience. They will be hoping to bounce back from last weekends 5-3 defeat by Berinsfield Reserves, whilst Town A have a clean sheet from their 3-0 League Cup victory to show the young squad how they can compete at this level. 17 year olds Joe Weatherall & Sam Egginton have signed senior forms and look to be involved, whilst striker Jason Evans is expected to be Town’s goal threat with leading scorer Li-am Farmer unavailable.
