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What the Adver says...

What the Adver says...

Mike Markham17 Aug 2015 - 06:38
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FA CUP: Worthians are flying high

HIGHWORTH Town made it three wins from three at the start of the new season as they carried their Hellenic League form into the FA Cup.

John Fisher’s men netted eight goals as they won twice in the Premier Division last week to set the early pace in the table and followed that up by brushing aside Combined Counties League side Knaphill 3-1 on the road in the Extra-Preliminary Round on Saturday.

The Worthians’ win was helped in no small part by a lightning start to the game, as Bradley Clark gave them the lead within 18 seconds of the kick-off in Surrey.

Although the hosts were able to draw level after a purple patch of their own, Richie Saunders restored Highworth’s lead before the break and Nathan Blackford was also on target to wrap up the win in the second half.

Assistant boss Kev Moloney is thrilled with the Worthians’ exceptional early-season form and admits confidence is flowing through the camp.

“You can’t ask for any more than that at the start of the season but it was harder than it looked on Saturday and they really did cause us a few problems,” said Maloney.

“We got off to a really good start and scored after about 20 seconds through Bradley Clark. I don’t know if that is some sort of record but if it isn’t then it must be pretty close.

“They then got back into it as the half went on but Richie Saunders got a goal to put us back ahead just before half-time.

“We really needed that and it made it a lot easier going into the break ahead.

“After that we were much the better side in the second half and could have scored a few more goals than the other one Nathan Blackford got.

“They sort of dropped off a bit and our game really shone through. We were deserving winners by the end of it.

“You can never knock the money side of things that the cup can bring in but the most important thing for the team at this stage of the season is that we’ve got another win.

“Every club needs money and that’ll be a help to us but we’ll just look forward to who we get in the next round and see if we can get another win there too.

“We lost a couple of players over the summer but were able to bring a few experienced ones back who have played for us before.

“We have started well and we will just look to keep this form going as long as we can.”

ROYAL Wootton Bassett Town were unable to join Highworth in the hat for the preliminary round draw as they were knocked out after suffering a 2-0 defeat at home to Bracknell Town.

Shane Cooper-Clark got both goals for the visitors at the Gerrard Buxton Sports Ground as Paul Braithwaite’s men finished the game with 10 men following the sending off of George Drewitt for a second bookable offence late on.

Cooper-Clark dispatched the opener midway through the first period before drawing a mistake from home goalkeeper Curtis Meare with a long-range strike after the interval, with Bassett left to bemoan the absence of their own chief goal-getters, Steve Robertson and the suspended Nathan Gambling.

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