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 Nightmare At Elm Ground - 5th December
Dave Webb is hoping to erase the memory of his “worst night in management” when Highworth Town entertain Carterton at the Elms tomorrow.
Webb is still smarting from Tuesday night’s 6-1 drubbing at the hands of rivals Fairford at Cinder Lane, and has challenged his players to prove their worth to the club. He said in the Swindon Advertiser: “It’s about how we react now, for ourselves, the team and Highworth Town Football Club. I am hurting after that defeat and the players should be too. I took on the manager’s job here because I wanted to be successful, and I will be, but at the moment we are stuck in mid-table and that is an underachievement."
“Take nothing away from Fairford the other day, they were disciplined, organised and out worked us. But all my lads seemed to have an off-day at the same time, and that simply can’t happen again. It had to be my worst night in management so far.”
Tuesday’s defeat leaves Highworth trailing Hellenic Premier Division leaders Hungerford Town by a massive 19 points approaching the half way point in the season. The ambition has always been a top six finish or better however, and Webb insists the club can still achieve that. “We had some quality players here, but we need to find some consistency,” he said. "There has been this yo-yo effect in the first team for far too long now and it has to stop. I don’t want to make any knee jerk reactions to Tuesday, so these players will get the chance to turn it around. But we can’t have many more nights like the one at Fairford, otherwise we will have to look at bringing one or two players in.”
Curtis Sharkey will replace Ian Gill in goal for tomorrow’s match, with Tony Joyce and Arthur Levitt both back in contention. Matty Bennett (ankle) and Paul Donnelly (knee) will not be fit in time.
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 "Up Front Boss" - 24th November
Tom Dingle (right) might have finally nailed down a starting spot in his favoured position after his hat-trick helped give Highworth Town a 4-1 win away at Abingdon Town in the Hellenic League Premier Division.
Dingle struck three times in the second half as Highworth came from behind to record their third win on the bounce, and his treble might just stop boss Dave Webb from using the front man elsewhere.
Webb said: “It was brilliant for Tom. He’s always said he wants to be a forward but, because of his versatility, we’ve had to play him in a variety of positions.
“He can play on the left or the right, up front and has also played in midfield and as a wing-back. But he always said he wanted to play up top and he’s made that spot his own in recent weeks.
“He’s now scored 13 goals and is the top scorer at the club, whereas last year he only scored three or four - that shows what a great year he’s having.
“Tom will get all the glory with the three goals, but his effort, work rate and commitment were first class and he deserves everything he gets. He’s setting the standard for all the players to reach.”
Webb added: “I was really pleased with the win. It’s never easy to go to teams who are down the bottom and we made a bad start by conceding early on.
“But we came back well and I was delighted for the lads. It’s now important that we carry this on and get a good run going.”
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| Greater Consistency - 14th November
Highworth Town travel to Westbury United in the second round of the Wiltshire Senior Cup, with manager Dave Webb desperate to see a greater level of consistency from his players.
He said: “It’s nice to play local teams and ones we don’t normally come up against. I don’t know a lot about them, but sometimes that isn’t a bad thing as it forces you to concentrate purely on your own game. What’s been most disappointing recently is that we’re at a stage where we get two, three, four good results and then put in a performance which lets that run slip."
“We need to get to six or seven games without getting beaten and start going on a long run to push us up the table. We’re more than capable of it and have got the players to do it.”
Highworth are without Paul Donnelly (suspension) and Mitch Wyatt (work), but Wayne Cleverley, Stuart Pearson and Tom Dingle all return to the squad.
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| Swindon Role Model - 10th November
The Swindon Advertiser reports it's not often a Highworth manager will publicly announce his admiration of arch rivals Supermarine, but Dave Webb sees their neighbours as the perfect role model when it comes to restoring the glory days at the Elms.
Webb’s side secured a satisfying 3-2 home win against Reading Town at the weekend, on the back of a 2-1 midweek triumph against Harrow Hill. They have clawed their way up to ninth in the Hellenic Premier as a result, but a couple of victories on the bounce is not enough to satisfy Webb yet.
He said: “That’s two wins at home in a week but now we start a run of three away games starting at Marlow on Tuesday and it’s important we carry on the run. We know we are capable of beating anyone on our day but we’ve got to string together a series of results.
 “I look at Supermarine, who had won seven or eight before Saturday, that’s a great run and it’s what we need to start doing, like we did here with the championship winning side three years ago. We’re still rebuilding here so we know we’re not at that stage quite yet.”
Webb singled out the two Toms, Cole (pictured) and Dingle, for special praise after the Reading result. Each scored a goal after Highworth had fallen behind in the opening couple of minutes. Webb added: “It was a really good performance and we scored three excellent goals. Tom Dingle and Tom Cole were both outstanding but everybody did their shift."
“Reading are not a bad side at all and were ahead of us in the league before the game - we really had to dig deep in the last 15 minutes. Now we have to build on it. The top sides in this league win when they don’t play well, which is what Witney did at the weekend by all accounts. That’s what we have to start doing.”
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Strike Force - 7th November
Dave Webb hopes his deadly Highworth strike duo of Tom Dingle (pictured) and Phil Corcoran continue to fire on all cylinders against Reading Town tomorrow.
The Swindon side can leapfrog their Berkshire visitors with victory at the Elms, and Webb is banking on another glut of goals from his front men. Both strikers scored again in the 2-1 triumph over Harrow Hill on Tuesday as they close in on their pre-season target of 20 goals.
Said Webb: “It’s nice when not just one of the front men score, but both of them. It gives the team much more balance. I think the goals on Tuesday took their tallies to nine each, so they are well on the way. It would be nice to think they could both hit the 20 goal target before the end of the season. Now we just need the midfield to chip in with a few more, which I am sure we will do once we get over the injuries.”
Highworth edged out Reading 3-1 in the Floodlit Cup last month, and Web is hoping for a repeat result tomorrow.
“It’s important that we keep winning to build the confidence of the team,” he said. Tuesday’s victory over Harrow Hill was a good one because we really earned the right to play. It’s never easy playing the bottom side, but the lads approached it in the right manner and we got the job done. There’s an added incentive against Reading in that we could jump a couple of places if we win. That’s exactly what we will be aiming to do.”
Skipper Nick McRae, Lee Brown and Dan Wallington are all injury worries for tomorrow, but Wayne Cleverly and Mitch Wyatt return.
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Attitude Helped - 4th November
Dave Webb believes an improved attitude helped his side to a 4-1 win on Saturday over Pegasus Juniors at the Elms.
Tom Dingle and Phil Corcoran put Highworth two up at the break and cruising, and they continued where they left off in the second half – Dingle grabbing his second and Dan Wallington also getting in on the act.
A late Pegasus goal denied Highworth a clean sheet but, after two successive league defeats, Webb was full of praise for his young troops “I’m really pleased because we bounced back after our recent defeats and the scoreline could have been even more,’’ he said. “The attitude of the players was great and that was the best thing about it.
“When things don’t go well for you and you’re below par you look for a response, and that’s exactly what we got. Everyone was a lot, lot better.
Webb's players have a chance to go above local rivals Shrivenham in the FTL Futbol Hellenic League Premier Division table, when they face bottom club Harrow Hill at The Elms tonight. Highworth are one place and two points behind Shrivvy, having played five games less. The Hill have yet to record a league win this season.
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Keep The Faith - 31st October
Dave Webb insists Highworth Town have a very bright future as he prepares to keep faith with the kids for tomorrow’s Challenge Cup tie at home against Pegasus Juniors.
A series of injuries and suspensions have forced Webb to promote from within and, despite a mixed bag of results, the manager admits he couldn’t be happier with the way his young troops have coped with the pressure.
Teenagers Kevin Tate, Leigh Brown, Steve Robertson and Ryan King have all seen first team action this campaign, while 20-year-old central midfielder Harry Etheridge will make his debut tomorrow after signing from Cirencester Town.
“We’ve been struggling quite a bit squad-wise through injuries, but I haven’t looked to go out and get loan players in or stop gaps to play for a couple of games here and there,” said Webb. “Harry is the first player I’ve brought in for a long time and he will be a very good addition. We’ve tried to build two teams here and bring through some young players from the reserves and I strongly believe that’s the way to go.
“Jon Reeves and Marc Turner are doing a fantastic job with our reserves, and I want two sides who play a similar way so we can then use the players when we need them. This weekend will be a tough game and it’s the only big cup that we’re left in. It’s important that we get back to winning ways and put in a good performance.”
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Back To Winning Ways - 24th October
Highworth Town entertain Wantage Town with manager Dave Webb paying tribute to his young side’s midweek HPL Floodlit Cup performance.
Highworth saw off Reading Town 3-1 on Tuesday night and Webb believes it was vital to get back to winning ways. “We were all disappointed to lose at Witney last weekend so it was good to bounce straight back with a win on Tuesday,” said Webb. “We played well and had a young side out on the pitch but it wasn’t a case of a weakened side – it was one which we thought could win the game.
“It’s now back to the league and we’re still in a good position and a win against Wantage would strengthen that even more.”
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| Fresh In Webbs' Mind - 17th October
Highworth Town travel to Premier Division leaders Witney United, with an opening day defeat to the same opposition still fresh in manager Dave Webb’s mind.
And he is hoping his troops can build on the confidence of their five-game unbeaten run as they bid to topple the top side.
Webb said: “We’ve already played them once which seems crazy considering we’ve only played nine league games. It was the first game of the season and they beat us 3-1 at our place. Maybe it was a bit early for us, but they fully deserved to win it. Hopefully the players will look back and think about what we could have done better and put that right on Saturday.
“We’ve got momentum going into the game because we’ve been doing so well recently and everyone is confident that we can come away with a win.”
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 One Goal Winner - 13th October
Wayne Cleverley’s goal in the opening minute of the second half helped Highworth Town extend their unbeaten run to five games at the expense of Old Woodstock Town.
The midfielder (pictured) fired home from a low shot from 25 yards seconds after the restart, though Highworth did not put the game out of sight against their struggling opponents, the goal proved to be enough on its own.
After the game, Highworth boss Dave Webb paid tribute to his defence as they helped put a miserable run of form at the Elms well and truly behind them. “It was a good win and it was important to improve at home because we haven’t been good enough there. It’s great to keep our run going and that’s five games unbeaten, and we also kept a clean sheet so it was very pleasing."
“The lads at the back are playing very well. We had to bring in some new faces back there over the summer but Tom Cole, Stuart Pearson, Nick McCrae and our keeper Ian Gill are performing really well. They’re giving the more attacking players the licence to get forward.”
The win puts in 8th place in the FTL Futbol Hellenic League Premier Division with games in hand on teams above them, Webb will be looking for his team to add to that tomorrow night when they meet bottom club Harrow Hill at The Elms.
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Do It At Home - 10th October
Dave Webb has called on his Highworth Town players to start picking up points on their own patch, as he targets two wins in the next four days. Highworth entertain struggling Old Woodstock Town tomorrow in the Hellenic League Premier Division, and with bottom side Harrow Hill also coming to the Elms on Tuesday night, Webb knows six points are a must.
The manager said: “Over the next two games we are playing teams in the bottom three and we have to do everything we can to win both of them. We’ve been on the road for the last couple of games and have taken four points. We’ve now got ourselves on a bit of a run again which is good but we’ve got to start doing it at home. We’ve got to perform here. We’ve lost two games at home and drawn two as well - it’s not good enough at home and that’s got to change straight away."
“The top end of the table is where we want to be as a club and if we can win our games in hand then we’ll be right up there." However, we won’t be underestimating Old Woodstock on Saturday.“They’re new into the league and are quite a young side, but with young players you get inconsistency and that’s probably what’s let them down. But they’ve beaten Flackwell Heath already this season, so they can’t be a bad side.”
Highworth will be without Paul Donnelly (suspended), Mitch Wyatt (work), Arthur Levett (ankle) and Darren Smart (hernia), and Webb is looking to strengthen his squad over the next couple of days. He revealed: “I’m looking to bring a player in, and hopefully it can get done before the weekend. Midfield is an area we need to strengthen, and that’s where I’ll be focusing on.”
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Marvel Inspiration - 19th September
Dave Webb will look to his ‘captain marvel’ for inspiration tomorrow as he prepares his Highworth Town side for the visit of New Milton in the FA Vase.
 Skipper Nick McRae (left) reached the quarter finals of the Vase with former club Hungerford last season, and Webb knows the defender’s experience could prove vital.
He said: “Nick has been there and done it before with Hungerford, so the other lads will be looking to him to lead. I know he really enjoyed the Vase run last season and it would be great if the other Highworth players could taste that. The FA Vase is a big, big competition and it would be nice for the club to have a good run. If we could just progress through a couple of rounds I have a feeling we could get on a roll.”
Wessex League opponents New Milton will be no push overs however, and Webb is predicting a free flowing game of football. He said: “I went to watch them at Downton the other day and they look a strong outfit. They are well organised and they like to play football, so it should make for an entertaining game. We’re at home so we have to go for it and try and finish the tie at the first attempt if possible.”
Highworth have not played a competitive fixture since the home defeat to Almondsbury last Tuesday week, and Webb admits preparation has been far from ideal. “It’s been stop start for us. After our early FA Cup exit it left us with a blank Saturday, and that has been frustrating. We played a friendly at Bishops Cleeve on Wednesday though, and the lads looked pretty sharp so we won’t be too rusty.”
Meanwhile, defender Gary Hill has been ruled out for six weeks with a broken nose.
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| Continue Form - 9th September
Highworth Town will be looking to continue the form which gained them entry to the next round of the FA Vase, when they lock with promotion prospects Almondsbury in the League tonight.
A brace from Phil Corcoran and a Gary Hill effort saw Dave Webb’s side safely through in The Vase, with a win against Thame, as Highworth extended their unbeaten run to five matches.
“We didn’t play our best by any means, but we created chances and we took them when they came,” said Webb. “Last season we were not clinical enough in front of goal and that is something we’ve been working on. I’ve brought a lot of attack-minded players to the club and it’s showing in our performances. That’s 12 goals in the last three games now, and we’ll have to continue that form if we’re going to trouble Almondsbury tonight.”
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| Shrivvy Vase Blueprint - 5th September
Highworth Town boss Dave Webb (pictured) is hoping to use their fierce local rivals as a blueprint for success as they entertain FTL Futbol Division One East Thame United in the first qualifying round of the FA Vase.
Included in Highworth’s squad will be Tom Cole, TJ Bohane and Rory Sproule, who were all part of Shrivenham’s march to the last 32 of the national cup competition before eventually going out to Newcastle-based Dunston Federation.
Webb believes the trio’s experience could be crucial if they are to have a good run in both the cup and league. He said: “The Vase is a massively important competition to us. The disappointment to go out at the first hurdle of the FA Cup was huge, and we don’t want to repeat that. It’s a cup which, with a little bit of luck along the way, we can go quite a way. If you look at a team like Shrivenham, they had a fantastic run in it last year and it propelled them to have a good run in the league as a result of it."
“These guys know what it’s all about. Talking to them when they came to the club, they said how great it was to go on those journeys, be underdogs, beat teams and progress. Their experience of it will be passed on to the rest of the players and we’re looking forward to it. Hopefully we can start a similar journey and see where it takes us.”
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 Smith Re-Unites With Webb At Highworth - 6th July
Richard Smith is hoping to rekindle an old pals act this season after taking over as assistant manager to Dave Webb at Highworth Town, writes The Swindon Advertiser
Former teammates at Forest Green Rovers, Smith and Webb have been close friends for more than 20 years both on and off the field. Smith spent last season coaching in the Southern Premier with Swindon Supermarine, but when his old partner in crime came knocking it didn't take much to tempt him away. After making the short journey up the A361 from Hunts Copse to the Elms, Smith is now looking forward to the challenge ahead. "I really enjoyed working under Mark Collier and Ian Howell at Supermarine and it was a great opportunity for me," he said "I think it was a successful first season for the club in the Southern Premier and I'd like to think I played a small part in that.
"But when Webby approached me to come to Highworth I thought why not? We were good together as players and I wanted to have a go at managing a side with him. I took the training session on Tuesday night and my first impression was that there is plenty of talent here. It's just a case of getting the right players with the right attitude on board and trying to build something. I'm very excited about it."
Webb was equally thrilled to have secured the services of one of the area's most respected coaches. After making the jump from assistant to manager last season, the Highworth boss knows first hand the importance of having a good number two. He said: "Rich and I go back a long way and I'm delighted he has decided to join me at Highworth. I know he really enjoyed his time at Marine but I want to get him a bit more involved here. He will be taking the training sessions and will have an input in team selection, while Andy Minturn will also be a player/coach. I hope that between the three of us we can deliver some success to the club."
On the player front Highworth have raided FTL Futbol Hellenic League rivals Shrivenham to sign highly-rated winger TJ Bohane and talented centre half Tom Cole. The two new arrivals were introduced to their teammates on Tuesday night as Dave Webb's side returned to pre-season training after the short summer break.
After guiding his side to a respectable sixth place in the Premier Division last season, Webb is looking to furnish the Elms trophy cabinet with some silverware in 2008/9. He added: "I am very pleased with the two signings we have made. Both are talented footballers who want to win things, and hopefully we can help them to do that. It's very difficult to find good left sided players and with TJ that's exactly what we have managed. I saw him play a few times last season and he always impressed me. He's still only 20 but there is already plenty of potential to build on."
"I was delighted to get Tom Cole on board too. When Lee Spalding left for Cirencester Town we needed to get a centre half in and Tom really fits the bill. He's confident on the ball and is a good footballer as well as a solid defender, which is just the type of player I was looking for."
A staggering 32 players attended the first day of pre-season at Highworth, with Webb and his new assistant Richard Smith putting them through their paces. The new management duo have lined up a team building session at RAF Lyneham later this month, when aching limbs will no doubt be top of the agenda the next morning. "It will be tough, but it's also a great way for the players to bond with one another, especially the new boys," said Webb. I'm very excited about next season. There has been a lot of hard work going on behind the scenes at Highworth and hopefully that will show in the results on the pitch".
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