Wantage Town have a double bill of home Southern League South West games this coming weekend which starts on Saturday 23rd August with a visit from bottom of the table Bishops Cleeve before a local derby with Swindon Supermarine on Bank Holiday Monday 25th August – both games are 3pm kick offs.

So up first this Saturday is Bishops Cleeve. The Mitres who just avoided relegation last season have made the worst possible start to this season under boss Stephen Cleal having lost all four of their games so far including two 5-0 reverses at home to Didcot and Evesham.

They did however score their first goal of the campaign in midweek with an improved performance at Mangotsfield where they took the lead through Rhodes. Key man to look out for is Joe Tustain who scored against the Freds in the Hellenic League last season whilst playing for Brimscombe & Thrupp. He originally decided to sign for Wantage in the summer before a change of heart meant he stayed closer to home and thus will be part of the visiting lineup instead this Saturday.

The Fred’s team news is that there will be a late check on captain Tom Melledew who missed the midweek game but it is hoped he should return. Brad Shaw is available for a potential first appearance but sadly Sam Parish’s serious knee injury sustained on Wednesday night will mean a likely lengthy absence.

Full Squad – Farrow Tucker Sadler Da Costa Cattell Millward Steedman Jones Lachacz Johns Barder Shaw Melledew Riccio Roberts Deabill and Guy.

The match takes place at Alfredian Park and admission is £8 for Adults and £4 concessions.

We look forward to seeing you there for both games this weekend.

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Also this weekend the Reserves travel to North Leigh United in the Hellenic League Division 1 West kick off at 3pm.

Manager Daniel Barry reports it could be another tough weekend

“So at the beginning of the week i thought the pressure had finally been lifted with a number of players returning from holiday but after what seems a long week we have now been hit with more injuries and last minute unavailabiliity.

We need to look to press on and start matching our form from preseason but this is a difficult task with a limited number to choose from. North Leigh will be a tough task especially as we only played them a couple of weeks ago so we know what to expect. It will be a close game and we will need to perform to get anything from the game.

I would like to welcome Ashley Bayliss and Sam Slater to the club, two new strikers who have joined us in the last week. Unfortunately Ashley isn’t available this weekend. “

United under boss Paul Lewis have had a mixed start losing 2-1 at Purton on opening day but beating New College Swindon 1-0 at home last weekend. The two sides met in the Jim Newman Cup Semi Finals in preseason where the game ended in a 2-2 draw before the Freds won on penalty kicks.

Squad: Simmonds, A Timbrell, Lovegrove, Kyberd, Hulbert - Thomas, Swain, White, Mundy, Reid, Glover, Thatcher, Whiting, Davies, Slater

The match takes place at Eynsham Hall Park Sports Ground OX29 6PN

Directions - Ground entrance is on the A4095 Witney to Woodstock Road, three miles East of Witney. The entrance which is sign posted from both directions is 250 yards metres east of the entrance to the Eynsham Hall

Ground Tel No - 07583 399577

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OTHER WEEKEND FIXTURES

SOUTHERN LEAGUE SOUTH WEST

Bridgwater Town v Shortwood United
Cinderford Town v Wimborne Town
Clevedon Town v Mangotsfield United
Evesham United v AFC Totton
Fleet Town v North Leigh
Merthyr Town v Didcot Town
Sholing v Yate Town
Stratford Town v Larkhall Athletic
Swindon Supermarine v Taunton Town
Tiverton Town v Bashley

HELLENIC LEAGUE DIV 1 WEST

Carterton v Clanfield
Cirencester Town 'Dev' v Longlevens AFC
Letcombe v Hook Norton
Lydney Town v Tuffley Rovers
Shortwood United v Purton
Tytherington Rocks v Fairford Town