Win for Town

Town put behind them the disappointment of Saturday’s cup defeat to record a ninth away league win of the season and move back up to fourth position in the League.

With Lyle Smith injured at the weekend and Craig Hiscock failing a pre–match fitness test, returning old boy Matt Belcher was given his first start of the season on the left flank.

The first half was a low key affair as both teams struggled to find any rhythm although Town created the better of the chances. A one handed save by Newbury’s Dave Leno from Luke Williams and a catch on the goal line from Jamie Fairchild kept the score goal less at the break.

Carl Davies thought he had opened the scoring only for Williams to have been adjudged off side in the build up play while claims for a Woodley penalty were turned down by referee Dave Fisher when a Newbury player fell onto the ball.

Although Newbury enjoyed good possession in Town’s half of the pitch, the defence ably led by man of the match Jim Nightingale kept Newbury’s forwards Craig Hill and Kalief Madden quite with their best effort falling to a long range effort from Danny Collins that Craig Beales comfortably saved.

The second half saw more purpose in Town’s play with improved tempo and passing and it was no surprise that they should open the scoring. Davies kept a wayward Williams shot in play and laid the ball back to the winger who beat a defender to cross into the six yard box for the advancing Richard Thomas to head home his fourth of the season on the hour.

With the break through, Town pushed forward and Williams had a shot well saved by Leno, who also blocked for a corner a close range Chris Waring effort.

Newbury did not help themselves by conceding a number of free kicks that enabled Town to maintain the pressure and score the decisive goal when good approach work by Waring saw him square the ball wide of the advancing Leno to enable Davies to score into an empty net from close range with fifteen minutes remaining.

Newbury rallied and won a couple of quick corners but apart from one effort from the edge of the penalty area that required Beales to make a diving save, Town were never troubled and comfortably saw out the remaining stages of the match.

Next up is a tricky visit to Farnborough Reserves on Wednesday before a mouth watering local derby with second placed Wokingham & Emmbrook on Saturday at East Park Farm.

Beales, Baxter, Nunn, Thomas, Nightingale, Hatton, Jewell (Varndell), Fairchild, Belcher (Waring), Davies (Jarratt), L Williams Sub not used: Hiscock