Three first half goals ensured Letcombe put Didcot Town Reserves to the sword and gave David Richardson a victory in his first match as manager of our First Team.

The starting line up saw Tom Broad restored to our back four and Adam Claydon, Calum Pryce and Howard Hawkins also recalled to the starting line up. We were missing Sam Dickens, Jon Hanson and Paul Farrell from the Fairford game and young Ross Packham was with Reserves to ensure he got a full run out. Dan Courtney also returned as a substitute alongside Richardson and Coach Steve Alman.

We made a sharp and incisive start to the game and took the lead with the match only five minutes old. Jack Hamblin's through ball releasing Dan Hoskin, who finished calmly to score his first competitive goal for the club.

That goal gave Hoskin real belief and in the opening stages the home side defence could not cope with his strength and pace. We were almost two up on 22 minutes when Adam Claydon's free kick just evaded Hamblin on the back post.

We did double our lead in the 25th minute when some quick thinking from Tom Broad released Calum Pryce on our right. Calum kept calm to go round the keeper and squeezed the ball in from a tight angle. That was his second goal of the season and Pryce looked dangerous throughout the match.

The home side were struggling to make any impact on the first half and we limited them to long range efforts. When we went forward the combination of Thomas, Hawkins and Pryce was creating big problems. Howard Hawkins was at the heart of a good move that almost resulted in a third goal, his free kick picking out Tom Stone who set up Tom Broad, but he couldn't turn the ball home with Didcot's defence on the ropes.

We did manage to grab the game's killer third goal right on the stroke of half time. The impressive Elliott Harper surging forward from right-back, his cross just missed Dan Hoskin but Howard Hawkins was alert and turned in his first senior Letcombe goal.

That was to be Harper's last involvement in the game, an injury meant he was replaced by Dan Courtney at the interval. It meant a reshuffle and Alex Thomas dropped back into the right-back role.

The second half almost continued in similar vein to how the first had ended when Dan Hoskin found space on the right. He took Courtney's ball in his stride but saw his shot smartly blocked.

Didcot Town Reserves then went down the other end and scored a fine goal of their own. Lewis Noble was allowed space to fire in a blistering strike from 20 yards that gave Danny Joyce no chance.

We showed impressive resilience and composure against our hosts, who were appealing for everything and remonstrating with the officials constantly and we always looked dangerous on the break. Calum Pryce showed great invention to carve out a number of half chances as the second half progressed.

It was almost 4-1 with 19 to play when a Claydon pass found Tom Stone in the box, he rolled it inside to Dan Courtney but his effort was blocked.

Manager David Richardson came on for the closing minutes, in place of Howard Hawkins to help shore up our defence and it was no surprise that Didcot Town Reserves ended the game with only 10 players. Lewis Noble was shown a second yellow card as our hosts lost their cool.

At the final whistle our players rightly celebrated a win that ensures progression in the Bluefin Sports Challenge Cup. It was a really impressive performance and an excellent start for new manager Richardson. He will be pleased with the spirit and attitude shown by our players who will now be desperate to take the improvement into next Saturday's league match with North Leigh.

Letcombe: 1. Danny Joyce, 2. Matt Clark, 3. Elliott Harper (12. Dan Courtney 45), 4. Jack Hamblin, 5. Tom Broad, 6. Adam Claydon, 7. Tom Stone (c), 8. Calum Pryce, 9. Dan Hoskin, 10. Alex Thomas, 11. Howard Hawkins (14. David Richardon 87). Sub Not Used: Steve Alman