Monday’s Derby Day - 27th August

Bank Holiday Monday will be a short trip to the Red House to take on local rivals Purton for Cricklade. Last season Purton had a good run at the league until the final month, and they look like they could repeat last season and be one of the teams to beat with a good opening day win against Cheltenham. In the past two seasons Cricklade have been on the wrong end of a 2-1 defeat, and you would have to go back to December 2007 for a win for Cricklade at the Red House.

“Monday will be another test for us, Purton have been a tough team for us to beat over the last couple of season. Chris Pethick has done a good job in his four years building a side, and the team has come a long way under his management. Without a win in our last four attempts against The Reds it will be tough losing last season 2-1. The clubs only being some 10 miles apart it is only natural to have a rivalry, and in the past the games have been well contested, and this one should be no different with several players moving between the two clubs, from Avenal, Smith, Murdoch, Townsend and Bowen, its one of those games that you should not have to motivate your players, they should know what derby games mean. The squad for the Bank Holiday derby would be hard to call at the moment, we will look to get the trip to Headington out of the way, and see what players have left in the tank, and what injuries they have picked up. For so early in the season it’s a defining week with games against two potential winners this year” commented Chairman Alisdair Ross.

Tough Trip For Cricklade -26th August

After a disappointing trip last week at Clanfield, Cricklade are on the road again against the impressive Headington, who have started this campaign with two wins out of two. In past season Cricklade have struggled at Headington with only 4 points from a possible 12 at Barton Recreation Ground.

Adam O’Bree returned last week from the bench after recovering from injury and could make his first start, along with Jake Lloyd and Adam Smith who both made impressive contributions from the bench. Kyle Moulden will still missing through injury as will last seasons top goal scorer Steve Winchcombe, the starting 11 will change for the first time this season.

Graham Jackson comments: "Headington were one of the better sides last season and only just missed winning this division on the last day of the season, if they have kept their squad together they will be the team to beat this year. We played Headington at home the first game of the season and recorded an easy victory, unlike the return game towards the end of the season, where they played some of the best football I had seen in that year, they had some good players that kept the ball well and moved it quickly. If we are to get anything out of the game we need to improve on our last performance where we looked flat, and could not find out usual passing game."

He added; "Steve Winchcombe will be missing from last week, and that should give a chance to one of the other three forwards to stake a claim in the starting eleven, with a possible recall for Reece Gilliver, or a first start for Aaron Maximen or Nathan Gambling last season's “Young Player of the Year”, I have decide yet on what changes will be made this week, as a few came of the bench and looked sharp and added a bit more energy to the side, it will be up to players to impress during training."

This One Never Got Going - 24th August

!n a poor game Cricklade and Clanfield shared the spoils, with League General Manager Brian King in attendance as Match Assessor.

The previous week four goals in the Clanfield clash with Lydney and eleven goals in the game with Cricklade and Tytherington most would have though that this would be game with lost of goals and goalmouth action, but it was far from that. On poor pitch that did little to aid any type of passing game, players looked for the long ball on to many occasions in a scrappy game.

Cricklade management commented; “We played badly in the first half and gave them too much room, our passing was bad, it was hard to find any positives about the first half except we were still at 0-0, and you would have thought we had picked a different eleven from the previous week. In the second half we improved a lot, getting the ball down and passing when we could, we scored early and looked comfortable creating a couple of openings that would have sealed the game, and I think it would have but for a gift that we gave them. Overall a point that we didn’t deserve after the first half, but in the second half we could have and should have walked away with three points, we need to improve next week with a trip to Headington”.

Short trip to Clanfield - 19th August

Cricklade make the short trip to local team Clanfield on Saturday for the 12th meeting in recent history against the Robins, Cricklade hold an advantage with 8 wins and only 3 defeats

.With history and a good opening game Cricklade go into the game with confidence, but also with a bit of respect for their neighbours, in 2008 and 2010 Cricklade went to Radcot Road in good form only to find themselves on the end of a loss, and one of them an embarrassing defeat 6-0, last season was a 2-1 defeat at Radcot Road. With an opening day win for Cricklade against Tytherington 7-4 we should not see too much change from the starting line up, as all players look to have reported fit for duty, this week should also see the return of Adam O’Bree who has looked good in pre-season, Adam injured in a preseason game against Woodley. Also returning will be Adam Smith who was away last week.

Graham Jackson said: “We should be going into the Clanfield game with a bit of confidence after a good win last week against Tytherington Rocks, we have been playing well through pre-season, the result was more pleasing last week as we have a few good players missing through injury and personal reason, it just shows the strength in depth that we have; this could also be a problem when everyone is fit and they all want to play. Our only problem at the moment is giving goals away, teams don’t seem to have to earn them against us, we give them away, although we look like we can score goals at this level, the game will come when the ball just does not go in, and that’s my worry, we have to be more resilient when the opposition has their time in the game”.

Jackson further commented: “Against Tytherington we singled out Potts as the danger, but this week I don’t think that Clanfield will have a player of that calibre, like most teams don’t, people sometimes worry about the opposition to much, but if we play to our potential we should be ok, if we don’t put it in you only have to look back a few years to 6-0 and see what happens, Clanfield are decent on their own patch and we will have to work hard to pick up the 3 points.”

Cricklade Hit Top With 7 -18th August

Cricklade Town hit top of the One West table at the weekend after hitting 7 past Tytherington Rocks, in a game with 11 goals, 6 bookings and a sending off.

Cricklade made hard work of getting three points as Tytherington came back from 2 goals down twice, and looked like they would be taking home the points, but 3 points was deserved by Cricklade, as after 30 minutes the game could and should have been all over, the day was soured by the red card shown to Richard Blankley who will now receive an automatic ban for his two yellow cards.

Crick manager Graham Jackson commented: “We played some of the best stuff that I have seen in this league in the first 30 minutes of the game, and don’t think anyone could have lived with us. We thoroughly deserved the 3 points, I told the players that we would not go over the 4 goals conceded as it would detract from a great performance. The key was great work rate, with Price, Reason and Blankley dominating the midfield giving Tytherington no time on the ball, and upfront Winchcombe, Povey and Mcgunigall closing down the back 4 it was causing them problems. But we passed the ball well and at pace. Before the game we singled out Potts as being the danger, and the best way to stop him was cut off the supply, and we did that well. I was really pleased with the result and performance, but know that we will have to improve when the opposition have their spell, as you won’t dominate at this level for 90 minutes.”

CB Slade Backing Crick - 15th July

Wiltshire Estate Agents CB Slade have agreed to be the second sponsor added to the Cricklade Town Uhlsport kit for 20010/11.

A landmark for the club who for the first season will have two sponsors on the kit. Main kit sponsor Dave Cobb Transport, with CB Slade Estate Agents on the back of the shirts. Christian Slade advised that “We have worked in Cricklade for several years and have had some great help from people in the community, and this is a way that that I can give something back to the community, helping a worthy cause.”

CB Slade Estate Agents sponsor various clubs and events in the local community including Cricklade in Bloom and Cricklade Ruby Club. Cricklade Chairman Alisdair Ross “We are very grateful for any support from the local community, Christian has been a sponsor of ours for a couple of years, without the support of local companies we would not be able to survive at this level of football, CB Slade Estate Agents had offered to be our main sponsor and invest more in the club, but gratefully Dave Cobb Transport had already offered to continue with his sponsorship for this season. At the moment the club is looking to secure a few more sponsors from the local community to make sure all the funds are available for the coming season, then look at obtaining additional funds to improve the ground at Stones Lane that need to be upgraded to adhere to the Football Association’s ground criteria."

www.cbslade.com

Injury Strikes Charman Again - 9th July

Bill Charman was struck down with illness mid way through last season and missed several games, over half the season.

When Bill returned to first team towards the end of last season he was struck with a serious injury, missing the last couple of games with a fracture.

Starting pre-season a week ago Bill had another setback, after he was given the all clear by doctors to start training again only to find himself in plaster after the first training session, aggravating the injury that looks to have him back in plaster for 6 weeks.

It’s disappointing for the youngster that broke into the first team a couple of season’s ago, and being a regular player since. We all wish Bill a speedy recovery, and hope that he will be back in training soon, and pushing the first team players for his position back.

Cricklade "Tie Up" Players - 2nd July

Player registration started early as all of Cricklade Town’s first team squad from last season have signed up early, with a few new additions to the club, and some old faces returning.

Matthew Charlton returns this season from Malmesbury but is carrying an injury, he will be looking a few weeks on the sideline. Last seasons Club Captain, Leading Goal Scorer, Players Player, Managers Player, and young player, Sam Reason as well as Steve Winchcombe, Richard Blankley, Dane Moulden, and Nathan Gambling are all signed. The central defensive partnership of Kyle Moulden and Gareth Davies looks to be reformed with Gareth recovering from his knee injury that saw him miss the end of the season, along with Bill Charman, Dave Probets who will be looking for a better season after missing most of last season with injury. Ben Goodey the Cricklade custodian has signed along with two players that returned from Malmesbury last season Adam Smith and Chris Green. With several other players signed on the season looks like it should be one of the best since joining the Hellenic League some years ago.

With no youth squad coming through from Cricklade this season we will be looking around to try and attract some young players into the squad to bolster up the strong Reserve Team for the upcoming campaign. Cricklade Town will train on Tuesday and Thursday nights at Cricklade Leisure Centre, Stones Lane, Cricklade from 7pm until 9.30pm, all players.

Sponsorship Continues - 29th June

Division One West Cricklade Town FC is delighted to announce an extension to their first team sponsorship with Dave Cobb Transport Ltd.

Dave Cobb Transport has agreed to Sponsor the First and Reserve Kit for 2010/11 season, this will be the third season that the locally based company has sponsored Cricklade Town FC.

‘Crick’ Gearing Up For Season - 22nd June

Cricklade Town have set up their four pre-season fixtures against varied opposition, starting on the 17th July against Stonehouse from the Gloucester Northern Senior League, then against Hellenic Premier Carterton , 24th July, Gloucester County League side Taverners visit on 31st July and a visit to Hellenic Division One East Woodley Town on 7th August, this should provide a tough test that is needed in pre-season, giving a good indication of how the squad is set up for the season.

Training has started early for “Crick” with the first session at Stones Lane on the 22nd June at 6:30, continuing each Tuesday and Thursday until the start of the season starts.