FAIRFORD TOWN v WANTAGE TOWN: MATCH PREVIEW...

Hosts Fairford Town begin their Hellenic League season this weekend with a home game against Wantage Town.

Last season, the Flyers struggled to an 18th place finish from 20 teams, winning only 6 of their 38 games, with a goal difference of -39, whilst amassing just 28 points. 

MATT BOUCHER...

Leading scorer Lee Smith (22 goals overall) was also the leading appearance maker with 45. Liam Gale managed 14 goals but in the appearances chart, Matt Boucher managed 38 and Ben Saunders 37. 

LEE SMITH...

LIAM GALE...

Pre-season for Fairford has been mixed, winning 3-5 at Faringdon, beating Newent away 2-5 (a game I watched), before losing 6-0 at Cirencester and 0-2 at home to Swindon Supermarine. Finally, the Flyers drew 2-2 at Frampton, then beat Shortwood 5-1...  

BEN SAUNDERS...

Visitors Wantage finished in a superb 4th place last term, winning 27 of their 38 matches. A fine goal difference of +50 was achieved and 86 points were gained, just 12 off the total of champions Thatcham Town.

STEVE ROBERTSON...

Steve Robertson led the overall goalscoring chart with 42, followed by Jack Dunmall who nabbed 25 and James Glover who weighed in with 13. Robertson made 53 appearances too, leading the way with Dan Comer just two behind him on 51.

JACK DUNMALL...

Pre-season has been decent too, losing only once, at home to Thame United, drawing 1-1 at home to Winslow but winning their four away friendlies: 1-4 at AFC Aldermaston, 0-3 at Milton United, 1-3 at Kidlington and finally 0-5 at Kintbury Rangers, where Robertson netted a hat-trick and Kaylen Patterson scored a brace. Patterson and goalkeeper Gary Aulsbury signed for the club after that game. A new forward was needed by manager Ben Sadler, following the departure of TJ Bohane and the tall Patterson fitted the bill. 

JAMES GLOVER...

DAN COMER...

I have visited both clubs' grounds just once...

I saw Binfield win a pre-season friendly match at Cinder Lane by 2-8 in 2014 and I visited Wantage's Alfredian Park in 2016 for an FA Cup tie against Hanworth Villa which the Freds won by 4-2.

AWFUL WEATHER FOR MY PREVIOUS VISIT TO FAIRFORD...

...AND A 2-8 DEFEAT...

 

ALFREDIAN PARK...

HANWORTH VILLA WOULD GO DOWN 4-2 TO THE FREDS IN THE FA CUP...

Coverage of both of the above games may be found on my blog... 

Fairford's manager Jody Bevan and Wantage's boss Ben Sadler both sent me their previews of this Saturday's game...

JODY BEVAN:

JODY IN BLUE, AFTER SCORING A LATE GOAL AT NEWENT IN PRE-SEASON...

"The first game up against Wantage could not get much tougher. I think everybody expects Wantage to be challenging at the top of the table come the end of the season following their 4th place finish last term. 

They were a very consistent team without any obvious weaknesses and I’m expecting much of the same from them on Saturday. Having said that, I'd like to think that we are in a much better place than when we started last season. We have signed a good number of new faces and I have been delighted with how they have all mixed in pre-season. 

There is a positive vibe about the place which is most welcome after a season of struggles. It’s vital that we build on that and there is no better opportunity than putting in a performance against a top team at home on the opening day of the season.

I’m not setting any targets for the season other than that I want to see an improvement on last year. How much improvement will largely come down to this group of players. We have a good blend of youth and experience and also players who are adaptable and able to play in a number of different styles and formations. 

Our pre-season has been miles better than last season so we have ticked that box already. Last season we didn’t win a league game until October so hopefully that first victory will come a lot sooner this season. 

I think all managers at this level agree that the Hellenic League starts far too early and having just turned August it is understandable that a number of players are on their holidays. We have been back in pre-season for 6 weeks and we have not had one session during which the whole squad has been together. That is part and parcel of being a manager at this level though and one of the things I learnt from last season is that I had needed a larger squad of players to call upon. 

Come Saturday I know already that I have 3 players away and 1 or 2 struggling with knocks. We won our final pre-season game 5-1 against Shortwood Utd on Tuesday and it was probably our best performance to date. A number of players gave performances that have made me rethink my starting 11, so fingers crossed we are peaking at the right time..."

Jody Bevan, Manager, Fairford Town...

BEN SADLER:

"We are all looking forward to the start of the league season. It is always impossible to read almost anything into pre-season results, so it is great that the proper stuff is starting. We had two very close games with Fairford last season and Saturday will be no different. Jody will have them organised and they always start games full of energy.

We have a fully fit squad to choose from, minus only Brad Cox who misses out due to suspension. We have retained almost all of our squad from last season and feel that with the additions to the squad we have made, we should be challenging at the top end of the league.

The club's aim is to be pushing for promotion and if we can be in and around the top sides come Christmas time then we know we can kick on during the second-half of the season."

BEN SADLER, MANAGER, WANTAGE TOWN...

Thanks to Ben for interrupting his holiday to write these notes...