It’s another blank weekend for the 1st Team, whilst the Reserves & A Team are in action at Tucker Park Saturday afternoon. The Youth section are mostly back in action after the half term break.
With the 1st Team out of action, the Reserves take centre stage with a NBFL Division 2, relegation six pointer as the bottom two sides in the league meet at Tucker Park, with Watlington Town the visitors. Kick off is at 2.30pm and Town who sit bottom on 8 points, know they have to take three points from second bottom Watlington (9 points) is the absolute minimum they need to take from the fixture. Town come into the match in a little bit of form, having had two cup wins and a league draw with Steventon FC in their last three fixtures. Watlington have three games in hand on Town, but are on a run of 9 straight defeats and will be hoping to avoid a 10th. Town won the reverse fixture 2-1 in September, with Dan Oyston & Paul Smith on the scoresheet. Town will not make use of the 1st Team squad as they welcome back James Tyler, Dave Cole, Colin Yates and Neil Docherty, whilst new signing from Shrivenham FC, Christian Wills returns to the club and will be in the squad.
Town A Team have something to build on, as fifth placed Kennington Athletic visit Tucker Park in NBFL Division 4, Kick Off 2.30pm. Last weekend’s moral boosting 4-2 home victory over promotion chasing Lambourn Sports Reserves, showed what the squad is capable of and with the introduction of the experienced Dave Clauson to the management team on the side lines, the young squad can go into their final six league fixtures confident of fighting off any relegation fears. Athletic have had a hit and miss season, with eight victories and six defeats, so a result for Town is certainly possible, especially with them coming into the fixture on the back of a 4-2 home defeat by Blewbury FC. The squad will be strengthened by Ryan Sharps gaining some much needed minutes, after only a short appearance off the Reserves bench, last weekend.
The under 10’s are the only Development squad in action on Saturday morning, as they travel to Stratfield Brake to face Kidlington Youth Arrows in the Spring D League.
Onto Sunday and the under 12’s are in Knockout Trophy Quarter Final action, with a trip to Abingdon United, kick off 10.30am. The two sides met in the Autumn C League, with United 3-0 victors, however Town have found a new resilience and this tie should be much closer.
The under 13’s have another top of the table clash, as Cumnor Minors visit Tucker Park on Sunday morning, kick off 10.30am. Town sit in fourth position, three points behind second placed Minors, however with two games in hand. The two sides met in October, with Minors winning comfortably 4-0.
The under 15’s are on the road Sunday morning, as they travel to table toppers Crowmarsh Youth in the C League, kick off 10.30am. Town sit in third, seven points behind the leaders, but with three games in hand, so a Town victory will open the league wide open. The sides did meet prior to Xmas, with Youth winning 3-1 in a tight encounter.
Onto Sunday afternoon and the Oxfordshire Invitation Youth League and the under 16’s are not in action. So fifth placed Town under 17’s will entertain seventh Summertown Stars at Tucker Park, kick off 2.00pm.Town are hoping their games in hand can see them climb the table.
