Gerry Oldham hopes that a repeat performance will yield a better result when he takes his Cheltenham Saracens side to Henley Town tomorrow.
Saracens put in a much-improved performance last week to keep pace with the Hellenic League Premier Division's form side, Ascot United.
In claiming a 1-1 draw against a side who had matched and in some cases toppled the top three in the division in their three previous games, Oldham was left a satisfied man. His only gripe came with a piece of crass misfortune at the end of the game when Oldham's men twice came within a lick of paint of stealing all three points.
"We didn't play overly well but we worked really, really hard and our attitude was spot-on throughout the game," Oldham said. "We even thought we had won it at the end with a Lorcan Sheehan free-kick, but somehow the ball stayed out of the net. It was a great effort, it beat the keeper but hit the post, went right across the goal and hit the other post, it was unbelievable. We were all up on the bench thinking that it gone in, I don't know how it stayed out."
Despite the late drama, Oldham was pleased that his side showed ample signs of recovery after their 5-0 thumping at the hands of Abingdon Town in the previous week. But he has called upon his charges to show the same effort and application on their trip to a town more famous for it's royal rowing regatta than football.
"We don't know a great deal about Henley but it's not a case of worrying about what the opposition are about," Oldham said. "It's far more important that we worry about our own performance and concentrate on putting in a similar performance to that we did at Ascot. When we are the underdogs we seem to do better, but it's just as important that we put in a performance against teams like Henley."
Oldham is set to be without defender Chris Pates (groin) for the trip to Oxfordshire, but striker Jamie Hammond, who missed the Ascot trip due to illness, is set to return.
Cheltenham At The Races? - 27 January
Saracens need side to be at the races for the full 90 minutes in tomorrow's Hellenic League Premier Division fixture at Ascot United.
Gerry Oldham has called for an end to the late lapses in concentration which have dogged his side's recent displays, and allowed their opponents to continually cruise past them in the finishing straight. Simply looking at the scoreline of last weekend's 5-0 defeat to Abingdon would suggest a one-sided thrashing, but in reality it was far from that.
The game was locked at 0-0 until the 65 minute mark, before a series of late errors from the Saras defence saw Abingdon surge to the win. Tomorrow's fixture offers Saracens a chance to climb straight back on the horse, and Oldham wants his side to return to the excellent form which preceded their recent run.
"It was really frustrating last weekend, as we had the better of the chances in the first half," Oldham said. "The scoreline flatters Abingdon a bit, given it was 0-0 until the last 25 minutes. It's been the same for the last few games though, when we're on top we're not taking our chances, and other teams are. We've got to keep going for the full 90 minutes. We've had words about the defensive errors, and the lads know they've got to be switched on. Ascot are one of the three of four teams above us that we've got games in hand on, and we can close the gap with a win. We've lost five of our last six games, conceding a lot of goals because of mistakes. But before that we had won four and drawn one of five, and conceded only three times. Everyone at the club realises we've got to get back to those kind of performances to climb the table. We need to make sure we stop conceding late goals, and keep our concentration levels high. I still believe if we keep our concentration for the whole game we can beat anyone."
Andy Crosskey is set to start for Saracens after featuring from the bench last weekend, while Tim Griffiths continues to deputise in goal.
Flying Forward Lands - 20 January
The Sara's welcome back flying forward Andy Crosskey from an 11-game ban for tomorrow's game at Abingdon Town.
Suspended for receiving red cards in consecutive games in November, Crosskey's return has been hailed as a terrific boost by boss Gerry Oldham.
Saracens were held to a 1-1 draw by Premier Division strugglers Bracknell last weekend in a game which left Oldham frustrated by his side's poor showing. After taking the lead through a second-minute Spike Rhodes goal, Cheltenham spurned a host of chances before conceding a leveller after the break.
"Having Andy back is like having a new player as he's been out for so long," Oldham said. "He gives us some creativity in the final third and should help us improve our performances at the front of the team. Hopefully having him back will help give us the kick-start we need to go on another good run of form. We didn't play well against Bracknell, we bossed the first 15-20 minutes and had a host of chances but it went downhill from there. If we had put in the same performance as we had in the Highworth game the previous week when we lost 4-1 despite playing well, we would have won. It's really frustrating for me at the moment, we know we should be much higher up the table than we are, but the table doesn't lie. I will be expecting a lot, lot better this weekend."
The point against Bracknell left Saracens 15th in the Hellenic League Premier Division table with 14 games of the season to play.
While currently unconcerned about his side dropping further down the table and into relegation trouble, Oldham knows safety can be rubber stamped with a good run of form. "We're not in the mire yet and we'll take each game as it comes," Oldham said. "Each point will take us closer to our aim. We're not going to worry about what others are doing, we're simply going to concentrate on our performances."
Concentration Key - 13 January
Concentration will be key as Cheltenham Saracens attempt to overcome a recent blip in form and stamp their credentials on the Uhlsport Hellenic League Premier Division.
Gerry Oldham's men succumbed to their second 4-1 defeat of 2012 on Wednesday night as Highworth Town escaped from Petersfield Park with the spoils. A second home game of the week, against rock bottom Bracknell Town tomorrow, gives Saracens the chance for redemption, but only if their minds are on the task in hand.
Boss Oldham praised his side for their play during Wednesday night's defeat, but felt the mental side of their game let them down in the final quarter. "It was the same story as the Shortwood game over new year in that we played well and didn't get what we deserved," Oldham said. "It was 1-1 at 70 minutes and we had a really good spell and had good chances to get in front, but we didn't take them. Then they went up the other end and scored against the run of play after we made a mistake and from then on our concentration just went. At this level you can't afford to let go in the last 20 minutes like we did, but I'm still pleased by the performance as our football was excellent."
Turning promise into points is the priority now, however, as the division's bottom club visit tomorrow (3pm). Oldham is still full of belief that his talented young squad can overcome the bumps in the road and establish themselves in the Premier Division.
"I'm not overly worried about where we'll finish as I have some real belief in this group of players," he said. "I think the experience that we have gained this season will help us no end and all the players will have improved mentally for having this season. If I can keep this squad together then I have no doubt that we can be a success in this league."
Oldham has no fresh injury concerns after Wednesday's game, so long-term injury victim Betteridge is the only confirmed absentee. The long-serving goalkeeper will be involved on Saturday, but in a coaching capacity, to aide current number one Tim Griffiths.
Spurs Effect Sara's - 6 January 2012
Cheltenham Town's FA Cup trip to Tottenham Hotspur has had some unfortunate knock-on effects for Uhlsport Hellenic League Cheltenham Saracens.
More than 5,000 Robins fans will be making the trip to White Hart Lane tomorrow, including five of Oldham's first-team players.
Hardly ideal preparation, therefore, for Sara's manager Gerry Oldham ahead of his side's trip to Easington Sports in the Hellenic League Supplementary Cup. Oldham said: "I can't repeat what I said to the players when they told me. As it's a Cheltenham game I am not as bothered as it's great for the town and because it's only a cup game for us I'm not as bothered as if it was a league game. It's still a bit frustrating but it does give an opportunity for five lads to come into the side and if they perform well the others may struggle to get back in. Easington are a league below us but they are doing well so it will be a tough game, but we played well at Shortwood on Monday."
Despite going down 4-1 to their county rivals, Oldham could take heart from his side's showing at Meadowbank against a side pushing for the title. He was also disappointed that the reports from the Nailsworth club gave his side little or no credit for the way they performed in the derby clash. Saracens were well in the game until after the hour mark, before Wood pulled away with new-signing TJ Bohane notching a hat-trick.
Oldham cited Shortwood's capture of Bohane, a proven Hellenic League scorer, as the difference between the two clubs. "The difference is that they created four or five chances and took them, we didn't take ours," Oldham said in the Gloucestershire Echo. "For 60-65 minutes we were well in the game and it annoys me that we got no credit for the way we played. The difference is that they can go out and sign a player like TJ Bohane and we can't. But I'm not complaining about it, we'll just get on with it."
Four Back In Contention - 30 December
Sara's hope to welcome back four key first team players ahead of a busy New Year holiday weekend double.
Saturday's visit of Reading Town is followed up by a Bank Holiday Monday trip to county rivals and Hellenic League Premier Division title chasers Shortwood United. It's a period of the season that manager Gerry Oldham admits his squad of players have been looking forward to with some relish. With players returning to the fold, the boss can't wait.
Saracens were on the wrong end of a 4-2 defeat at Slimbridge on Tuesday, but despite the disappointment of derby defeat, Oldham saw plenty of positives. Defenders Joe Donaghue and Sam Slender, midfielder Jack Oldham and skipper Mike Rhodes all return to the fold after missing the thriller at Slimbridge.
"It was a really great game to be honest and I wasn't disappointed at all with the way we played," Oldham said. "It was two-each after less than 20 minutes and it was a cracking performance from us where we dominated about 70 per cent of the game. We had six players out and we just got punished for every little mistake we made at the back, but on the whole we can look at it in a positive light. I keep repeating myself to the lads, but it's a concentration thing mainly where we have to stay switched on and stop the opposition scoring. If we can do that then I have confidence that we can play against and attack any team in this division."
While tomorrow's visit of Reading to Petersfield Park takes immediate precedence for Saracens and their boss, Oldham admits to having one eye on Monday's trip to Meadowbank. With Shortwood currently flying at the top of the division and possessing a squad packed with quality, their trip to Nailsworth has been looked forward to for some time.
"It's games like that Shortwood away that make this league so enjoyable," Oldham said. "It's a lovely ground, a superb football pitch and they've got a number of really good players who we can test ourselves against. Nobody will expect us to get anything there, perhaps the only people who won't underestimate us are Shortwood themselves. We ran them close at home earlier in the season and we'll look to do the same again."
Despite welcoming back four players to the squad, Oldham is still without suspended duo Jamie Hammond and Andy Crosskey.
Cheltenham Saracens: T Griffiths, Betteridge, Rayson, Oldham, Slender, C Griffiths, Donaghue, Bryan, Knott, Tovey, Bermingham, Oliver, Russell, Pates, Rhodes, Sheehan.
Dogged Spirit - 16 December
Saracens travel to Kidlington tomorrow aware that more of the same dogged spirit shown against Wokingham last weekend will be needed if they are to continue their recent charge up the Hellenic League Premier Division table.
"It was a really good battling performance against Wokingham and that was really good to see," Manager Gerry Oldham said. "Battling spirit hasn't been something that's come as naturally to us in recent years, but it was good to see. We were throwing ourselves in front of the ball and ensuring that we kept hold of the lead we had gained and that's an encouraging sign. I slated the players a few weeks back as they weren't performing, but since then their attitudes have been superb and we've been on a good run."
Oldham was quick to praise stand-in goalkeeper Tim Griffiths for keeping a clean sheet in a rare first-team appearance. With long-term number one Ryan Betteridge still sidelined by injury, Oldham knows the importance of having quality in reserve. "Tim came in and was outstanding and that's really good for the camp as a whole. Ryan's been our number one for as long as I can remember and rightly so, but it's good to have some competition for the place as well."
After tomorrow's game, Saracens have a ten-day break before a county derby with Slimbridge on Tuesday, December 27. Spared the usually hectic Festive fixture programme, Oldham is glad to have a little more time on his hands. "It's better this year, but we have Slimbridge, Reading and Shortwood over the holidays, so it's a tough run of games," He said. "But we do get a chance to rest before hand and that's a good thing."
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Betteridge Unlikely - 9 December
Saracens goalkeeping stalwart Ryan Betteridge (pictured) is set to miss out tomorrow's game against Wokingham & Emmbrook with a thigh injury.
"Ryan's played about 400 games for the club, and in my time here it's only about the second game he's missed," Oldham said. "But he's got a thigh strain so he's going to be out, and Tim Griffiths has been called up to replace him."
Oldham has called on his players to show the attitude and application required to pull themselves out of trouble. Saracens are currently fifth from bottom in the Uhlsport Hellenic Football League Premier Division, and host Wokingham and Emmbrook this weekend. But improved recent performances have left Oldham confident in his side's chances of pushing on up the division.
"Every game is a cup final for us until the end of the season," Oldham said. "We've been playing a lot better recently, we haven't lost in our last three league games and have had a good build up to this one. I believe that we've got the quality of players to move up the league, they just need to keep showing the right attitude. We beat Wokingham 1-0 at their place a few weeks ago so we can take confidence from that. If we play to our potential and the boys' attitudes are right then we'll finish halfway up the table."
Saracens travelled to Reading Town last weekend with a threadbare squad but were boosted by the return of key players for the 6-4 GFA Senior Challenge Trophy defeat to the Gloucester City Development XI in midweek
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Here Come The Calvary - 2 December
The cavalry are back for Cheltenham Saracens' GFA Senior Challenge Trophy test against the Gloucester City Development XI tomorrow.
Down to almost the bare bones for last weekend's Hellenic League Premier Division clash at Reading Town, manager Gerry Oldham welcomes back a key quartet in time for cup action at the Spa Ground in Gloucester.
Disappointed with the number off cry-offs seven days ago, Oldham was delighted to see his threadbare side claim a point after a 0-0 stalemate. "Given the problems we had it was a really good result at Reading and we actually could have snatched it at the end," Oldham said. "I picked a decent XI, but didn't have a lot in reserve so that made it more pleasing. The good thing is that now I've got at least four players to come back into the team tomorrow and that can only make us stronger."
Striker Jamie Hammond, skipper Mike Rhodes both return to the side, while Joe Donaghue and Mike Oliver have returned from injury. Oliver's comeback is especially pleasing after he had to be admitted to hospital after collecting a head injury in the win against Shrivenham two weeks ago.
"It's great to have Mike back, he's someone who always wants to give his all," Oldham said. "And it's nice to have some competition for the shirts, the important thing now is for those in possession to keep hold of them."
Cheltenham Saracens boss Gerry Oldham has hit out at the commitment, or specifically the lack of, that his charges are showing this term.
Saracens recorded their second consecutive Hellenic Premier Division victory on Wednesday night, hitting back from a goal down to beat Shrivenham 3-1. But Oldham's moment of happiness at the result was short-lived when he took a role call and discussed the arrangements for tomorrow's game at Reading Town.
The register revealed that there were just 11 players available for the trip to Berkshire, leaving Oldham a frustrated and angry man. "At the moment I have 11 players and that includes Mike Rhodes who only comes back from holiday on Friday," Oldham said. The level of commitment that some of the players are showing is shocking. My assistant and I put our heart and soul in to what we do and to get nothing back from the players is soul destroying. We can't pay the players so there are going to be times when they can't commit, but on the flip side they should all be thankful that they're playing at this level. If the players were able to show the same commitment as I do, or other people who work hard for the club then I know we would be in the top ten of the division, not struggling. We've had two wins on the trot and we should be happy and going into Saturday's game full of confidence. But instead I've got players who are telling me that they can't play for this reason or that reason."
Oldham's cause has not been helped by a nine-match suspension dished out to forward Andy Crosskey for indiscipline. He may also have to contend without Mike Oliver for the trip after he picked up a head injury in the Shrivenham win. Oliver had to be treated by paramedics and taken to hospital after a clash of heads on Wednesday night, although thankfully he was later discharged.
"We'll have to see how Mike is ahead of the game, but other than that it's going to be a struggle to get a side out," Oldham added. "I can't go out and pay to get other players in, and my reserve side is full of youngsters so it would be unfair to ask them to step up when they're no ready. Sometimes you do wonder whether it's all worth it but from speaking to the Shrivenham manager on Wednesday he's having the same problem too. It's just that the youngsters today don't want to commit to their football like they once used to and that's a real shame. We all just have to get on with it and try and do the best we can with who's available."
Sara's Welcome Satsumas - 18 November
Saracens manager Gerry Oldham has called on his players to arrest their slide down the Uhlsport Hellenic Football League Premier Division table.
Three straight losses, including defeat at fellow strugglers Kidlington last weekend, have seen Saras plummit towards the foot of the division and Oldham hopes for a quick turnaround in fortune.
"It was a something and nothing game against Kidlington that could've gone either way," Oldham said. "Both teams are at the bottom end and that was obvious with the quality of the game. It was fairly even in terms of possession, but Kidlington managed to put away a couple of chances and we only scored one of ours. That's the difference at this level, we've found it tough after being promoted last season. We probably just need a bit of luck to go our way, and to claim a couple of wins to move up the league. We've got a chance against Wokingham and Emmbrook this weekend as they're also finding it tough at the bottom."
Dan Shatford returns to the squad after injury.
End Of Poor Form Run? - 11 November
Saracens will be aiming to end their poor run of form when Kidlington Town visit Petersfield Park tomorrow.
Free scoring when winning promotion to the Hellenic League Premier Division last season, Saracens have hit something of a wall in recent weeks. Consecutive league defeats to Thame United and county rivals Fairford Town in the past seven days have left boss Gerry Oldham scratching his head. Saracens defeated Fairford 7-1 on home ground earlier in the season, but that form deserted them at Kinder Lane on Tuesday night as the Reds claimed a 3-2 victory.
Manager Gerry Oldham commented: "We're not scoring as many as we're used to and we're not keeping clean sheets, so that's a problem. It's just not happening for us at the moment and it's my job to sort that out and work out why. It's a challenge for me, the first time I've had a problem like this in my playing or management days, and I'm working hard to rectify it. A couple of results have maybe sapped our confidence and that has a knock-on effect, but we've got to do is keep believing."
Tomorrow's test will see Oldham's men face one of the sides around them in the table. Tuesday's defeat saw Saracens slip to second bottom in the table, although they are just four points behind Kindlington in 15th, with a game in hand on the Oxfordshire outfit.
Oldham said: "They're around where we are and these are the games that we need to be targeting. If we can produce a performance, we can close the gap on a host of teams. But we know that there are no easy games at this level and to get a result we'll have to stick together."
Oldham goes into tomorrow's game with virtually a full-strength squad minus the services of defender Dan Shatford. The former Cheltenham Town youth player is still recovering from a shoulder injury.
Gerry Oldham is refusing to compromise his belief in flowing football, despite seeing his Cheltenham Saracens side suffer consecutive cup defeats.
Oldham admitted his side were poor in the 3-1 reverse at county rivals Fairford Town in the Bluefin Insurance Cup last Saturday. An improvement in performance, but not in the result came in the AM Print and Copy Floodlit Cup on Wednesday night as Shortwood United eventually ran out 4-1 winners. But far from being downbeat by the double defeat, Oldham is looking on the brightside of the Shortwood performance, where his side more than matched the title chasers for a half.
Thame United visit Petersfield Park tomorrow and Oldham hopes that his side can produce another good performance and claim a positive result. "We led for around 35 minutes against Shortwood and actually played quite well," he said. "Obviously I hate losing in any competition and Cup football is a great way of gaining some momentum for the league. But we improved for Wednesday's game as we were awful against Fairford, it's just that we're running out of steam a bit in the second half. I am trying to put my finger on why that's happening and It's probably due to the fact that we can't name and play a settled side. Perhaps we are a bit open in the way we play, but I don't want to change that and I am keen to keep my belief in the way we play."
Promoted from Division One West in to the Premier League last season, Saracens have found life in the higher standard tough this term. They currently sit third bottom in the table after garnering 11 points from 13 games. But far from feeling too downbeat about his side's struggles, Oldham is still enjoying the challenge of the Hellenic Premier Division and hopes his players will soon adapt. "There are 27 games to go so there is plenty of football still to be played," he said. "When we get a bit more of a settled side, I know we have the ability to compete at this level, we know we should be higher in the league, but we just have to get on with it."
Consistency will be the watchword for Cheltenham Saracens boss Gerry Oldham when his side visit Fairford Town tomorrow. Saracens put in one of their poorest performances of the season last week in a 3-0 home reverse to Holyport.
Attentions turn away from the Hellenic League Premier Division campaign tomorrow with a trip to Kinder Lane in the Bluefin Insurance League Cup. Saracens' cup form so far this season has been much better than that in the league and Oldham is hoping a positive performance tomorrow can act as a springboard for his side. "We've been really good in the cups so far this season, we've only lost once in the five competitions we play in," he said. "Also, I don't think I've ever lost a game at Fairford so we will go there looking to extend that run. We played poorly last week and were well beaten – and it's not often I've had to say that this season. When we're good, we're very good, but when we're bad we seem to be very bad indeed. What we need to do now is find some consistency in our performances."
Part of that strive for consistency has been Oldham's desire to field a settled side. Highlighting that as one of the main reasons for promotion last year, the Saracens' boss has been forced into making constant changes this term. He welcomes back a trio of key performers from injury and unavailability tomorrow, but sees two other first-team regulars depart to knocks. "It's been a frustration as we've had to chop, change and keep moving people about," Oldham said. "We've not been able to field what I would call our best side on too many occasions and that hits us hard."
Top scorer Jamie Hammond and fellow forward Andy Crosskey return to the side tomorrow as does Oldham's son Jack, while 17-year-old midfielder Jordan Bryan is set for a debut. However, key defensive duo Lee Rayson (suspension) and Dan Shatford (shoulder) are ruled out.
A thoroughbred performance and a return to the winner's circle will be the target for Cheltenham Saracens boss Gerry Oldham when his side entertain Ascot United tomorrow.
Saracens suffered a late reverse last weekend as Flackwell Heath surged in front in the final furlong to take a 2-1 victory that a strong Saracens showing didn't deserve. But with performances, if not results, still positive as Saras attack their first season back in the Hellenic Premier Division, Oldham is feeling far from flat.
"We played really well, to be honest, last weekend but just missed the result," He told the Gloucestershire Echo "We paid the price for missing a few chances and when you do that in this division, you get punished. The new league has been a bit of a culture shock, and we're perhaps a little naive still in the way we attack the games, but on our day we're a match for anyone. We've got a really young squad with an average age of just 23 and that sometimes shows as we make naive decisions. Once we get that bit of match savvy in our squad I am sure the results will start to come."
Outsiders in the betting for their previous match against table-topping Flackwell Heath, Saracens will be an even-money chance against an Ascot side one place above them in the table.
And with a number of games against sides around them in the table to come, Oldham is confident that his side can mount a surge through the field in the coming weeks. "We've now played all of the top sides in the division and we've matched them in all of the games and only lost by the odd goal," he said. "Ascot are a place above us and I am sure that if we can repeat the performance from last week's game and from when we played the other top sides, we can win. We have to strike a happy medium between playing well and getting the points nailed down. Once we get that win to get us going again I am sure we can start climbing the table."
Oldham is without his trio of longer-term injury concerns tomorrow with son Jack, defender Chris Pates and striker Jamie Hammond all ruled out.
A blast from manager Gerry Oldham will be still ringing in the ears of the Cheltenham Saracens squad when they travel to Chinnor tomorrow.
Beaten 1-0 by Holyport in league action last week in what Oldham described as an 'awful' performance, Chinnor provide the opposition in the Bluefin Insurance Cup first round. Whilst progress in the Hellenic League Cup is considered as important by Oldham, the Saracens boss wishes that his side were in league action this weekend.
"Last week our attitude wasn't at all right and we just didn't turn up," Oldham said. "The best thing about the whole weekend for me was getting home in the evening – it was that bad. I didn't say anything to the players after the game and waited until training on Wednesday night to let them know what I thought. I've told the players that they need to show a bit more professionalism and show how much they want to be in this league. I'm proud that we have gone up into the Premier Division and I want the players to start showing it too. In a way I wish we had a league game straight away to get us going again, but the cup will have to do."
Chinnor play in Division One East of the Hellenic League and are a completely unknown quantity for Saracens and their manager. But with their opponents operating a league below, Oldham knows the onus will be on his side to perform and get a morale boosting result.
"We need to get our game back on track and we're not worried about what an opposition can do," Oldham said. "We want to sort our performances out and start performing to our ability and that starts with Saturday's game. We want to do well in the cup and we want to improve our performances."
Oldham must do without a trio of regulars as Andy Crosskey, Joey Bermingham and Michael Oliver absent. Jack Oldham is also still out with a foot injury, but Oldham senior has added former Worcester City and Evesham Unuted striker Troy Wood to his squad.
Gerry Oldham is hoping that confidence from the cup can be transferred in to league action as Cheltenham Saracens travel to Holyport tomorrow.
Beaten 1-0 by high-flying Binfield last week, Oldham's men took out their frustrations on a young Cirencester Town Development side on Tuesday night. A 5-2 victory earned Saracens progress in the AM Print and Copy Floodlit Cup and boosted confidence ahead of a trip into the unknown tomorrow. Like Saracens, the Berkshire club were promoted into the Premier Division last season – but as Champions of Division One East, so they are an unknown quantity to Oldham (pictured left).
"I know absolutely nothing about them to be honest," Oldham said. "But I am not worried about what they can or can't do – it's all about how we perform. We've been playing well, and have now played against the entire top six of the division, but we've not been getting the results. Last week against Binfield we had four or five clear chances and didn't take them. They had two and scored one that was the difference. We're being punished for every little mistake at the moment, but I am confident that once we get used to playing in this division we'll start picking up results."
Oldham's cause is not helped by a number of absences from the squad for the trip to Holyport. Striker Jamie Hammond and defender Sam Slender – both scorers in Tuesday night's cup win are both unavailable for the game. Oldham must also do without son Jack (right) , who is still sidelined with a foot injury and long-serving defender Chris Pates (ankle).
"We'll go there and give it a good shot," Oldham added. "It's a great league to play in and we're still enjoying ourselves. Obviously the losses aren't much fun, but I am fully confident that we can start getting some wins on the board."
Saracens boss Gerry Oldham says his side will need to be at their best against Binfield tomorrow.
Saracens will start the Uhlsport Hellenic League Premier Division clash in tenth place after drawing 3-3 at home to Wantage Town. Binfield make the trip to Petersfield Park in fifth spot after losing only one of their opening six league fixtures, 5-2 to current leaders Oxford City Nomads.
Oldham said: "If you had said at the start of the season we'd be tenth after seven games I would have taken that. We're in a comfortable position at the moment but it's going to be a hard game on Saturday. Binfield are one of the favourites for the title and we're going to have to be at our best. They're a very good footballing side and they've got some good players. We're playing better football away from home because the pitches are better and it suits our game better. Our pitch isn't the best at the minute. But I'm pleased with the way we've started and once we get everyone back and have a full squad, we'll be even better."
Saracens were bundled out of the FA Vase last Saturday, going down 4-1 at home to Toolstation League side Melksham Town. They looked on course to regain winning ways against Wantage on Tuesday, but a late own goal forced them to settle for a point. Oldham said: "We played really well and we're leading three times, but they scored in the last two minutes. Obviously, you expect to win the game when you're 3-2 up with not long to go, but Wantage won it last year so it was a good result."
Jamie Hammond, Matt Russell, Dan Shatford and Carl Griffiths return tomorrow, but Jack Oldham (foot) and Chris Pates (ankle) are unavailable.
Saracens will go into the Bank Holiday weekend in buoyant mood following a 7-1 thrashing of county rivals Fairford Town on Wednesday night.
Gerry Oldham's men claimed their first Hellenic Premier Division win of the season in emphatic style at Petersfield Park as a young Fairford side were ruthlessly and easily beaten.
Oldham's men travel to Thame tomorrow, before welcoming title favourites Shortwood United to Cheltenham on Monday. "I'm certainly going to be able to sleep better now, well until Saturday at least," Oldham joked. "But to be fair it was a really good performance by all of the boys and the dressing room was a good place to be afterwards. We did conceded a sloppy goal, and usually I would be very unhappy that we had done that, but when you score seven, I perhaps will let them off."
Whilst Oldham was delighted with his side's showing, he also had some time to feel sorry for the Kinder Lane outfit, who he believes have a young and talented squad. "It was a bit harsh on Fairford to be honest as they are a really young side who perhaps showed a bit of naivety. I am certain that they will be a good side in the next few years, but they just caught us on a good night."
Oldham's cause over the Bank Holiday weekend won't be aided by as many as three of his squad departing on their annual holidays. Defender Dan Shatford, midfielder Andy Crosskey and Slender are the trio who will be missing while defender Chris Pates is still out with an ankle injury. However, on the positive side, Carl Griffiths returns to the side after serving a three-match ban.
Cheltenham Town are seeking the urgent appointment of a Reserves team manager after Chris Ibbitson resigned last week.
A manager needs to be appointed before the start of the Reserves season on 3rd September. The team has a support staff of three but require a manager.In place is an assistant manager Darren Tunnicliffe a coach Sean Bryan and a qualified Physio Paul Shand so the main function of the position is to manage the team and link with Gerry Oldham the 1st team manager.The assistant manager Darren Tunnicliffe is also the Youth team manager which will also assist in the progression of his players into the squad.The team will consist of the players unable to gain a place in the first team and young players looking to progress.The club also have 14 youth teams and three other senior teams on Saturdays which play in the local Cheltenham League.The Clubs Charter Standard has just been renewed and we are well on the way in the application for Charter Standard Development status.
Contact Bob Attwood 01242 515855
Saracens goalkeeping stalwart Ryan Betteridge (pictured) is set to miss out tomorrow's game against Wokingham & Emmbrook with a thigh injury. 
Cheltenham Saracens boss Gerry Oldham has hit out at the commitment, or specifically the lack of, that his charges are showing this term.
Oldham's cause is not helped by a number of absences from the squad for the trip to Holyport. Striker Jamie Hammond and defender Sam Slender – both scorers in Tuesday night's cup win are both unavailable for the game. Oldham must also do without son Jack (right) , who is still sidelined with a foot injury and long-serving defender Chris Pates (ankle).