On Saturday we travel West on the M4 to play against Royal Wootton Bassett FC and on Monday we visit Wantage Town FC. Both will be very tough games and it will be a full test to see how far we have come.

Royal Wootton Bassett Town FC vs. Thatcham Town FC
New Gerard Buxton Sports Ground, Brinkworth Road, Royal Wootton Bassett, SN4 8DS
Saturday 26th August, 3pm

Wootton Bassett are a very good side and have just got better with the signing of Sam Collier from us. Sam is someone who I hugely respect, both on and off the pitch, and is someone I admire. He had his reasons for leaving which, to a certain extent, I understood but, like all players that move on, I would like to wish him all the best (apart from Saturday of course) for the rest of the season. Bassett have started the season off with three draws and a defeat. The loss was against Bracknell and they were winning for a large amount of the game. They are extremely well organised, hard to beat and in Sam Packer they have a match winner. Since I have been at Thatcham we have had a mixed bag of results against Bassett and the last time we played there it was the unfortunate night of Ash James's injury. With Sam being there he knows all about us so they will be very well prepared. We will continue to work on things during this week so we will be prepared as much as possible for the game.

Wantage Town FC vs. Thatcham Town FC
Alfredian Park, Manor Road, Wantage, Oxon, OX12 8DW
Monday 28th August, 3pm

On Bank Holiday Monday we make the journey to Wantage Town FC. Another very tough game and one that would mean a bit to a couple of the players in our squad, as previously they won the Hellenic league with Wantage. Mark James, Tom Melledew and Danny Lachacz were all part of Gary Ackling's squad that won the league so hopefully they are looking forward to going back, as I did when I went back to Alresford last weekend. Wantage have beaten Binfield, and lost to Lydney and Brimscombe in the league but they have beaten Lydney in the FA Cup and only narrowly lost 1-0 to a very good Kiddlington side in the following round. They have recruited really well over the summer, bringing in Jack Dunmall from Kiddlington, top goalscorer Stephen Robertson from Bassett, and also they have signed Curtis Meare as goalkeeper, who we had last season with us at Thatcham for a bit. In my eyes they will be right up there come the end of the season and will have a massive say in proceedings, so, like Bassett, we have to match everything Wantage have and then some if we are to get anything out of the games.

Squad news for the weekend is that we are still awaiting international clearance for Jesse Bowers and Cornell Keller, Lewis Brownhill is out with a strained MCL ligament, Ekow Elliot is away in Ghana coaching and Ashleigh James is getting closer and closer to fitness. Other than that we have a full complement to choose from.

Thank you in advance for travelling to both games. I know the lads really appreciate it!