Banbury United boss Kieren Sullivan has praised his side for Tuesday’s derby win and called for more of the same when they face fellow-strugglers Clevedon in the Premier Division on Saturday.
Although the Somerset outfit are bottom of the table, Sullivan, whose side got back to winning ways against Rugby following last weekend’s 6-0 thrashing by Evesham, is not getting carried away.
“Tuesday was a good opportunity to get the Evesham game out of the system very quickly,” said Sullivan, who will be without winger Jon Gardner (holiday). “I didn’t approach it any differently. I changed a few faces and left a few out.
“I think the difference was our attitude.
“It was a bit nerve-wracking at the end though! (Scott Bridges got a last-minute winner).
“But we have to put that to the back of our minds and focus on the next one. Clevedon is a massive game.
“Everyone is scrapping for points down there. It’s so tight – one win from Clevedon and they are off the bottom.
“We took our chances on Tuesday and we’ve got to make sure we do the same against Clevedon.”
Banbury are running a ‘bring a mate’ promotion where fans bring along a friend who can get in for £4 if they are a season-ticket holder with any Conference, League or Premiership club.
Oxford City winger Jamie Brooks is to undergo a scan on a knee problem which has sidelined the former U’s star.
Player-boss Justin Merritt said: “It’s a problem which has been going on for a couple of months.
“It might be a cartilage tear or something similar, but we just don’t know until he has this scan.
“We do miss him – he gives us so many options, on either wing or up front.”
Meanwhile, Merritt wants his team to forget their poor display against Mangotsfield and get on with beating Yate.
City held on for a 2-2 draw against the west country outfit and also had defender Andy Ballard sent off.
Merritt said: “We just wer-en’t at the races. I don’t think any of the players emerged with any credit from that game.
“But I suppose it could have been wor-se.
A few months ago we would have lost that game – it just shows how far we have come when we are disappointed to only get a draw.”
Didcot Town welcome back Ian Sampson and Josh Dutton-Black when they travel to Bishops Cleeve in Division 1 South & West.
Sampson has completed a three-match ban, while new signing Dutton-Black is back after being ineligible for Monday’s Berks & Bucks Cup tie against Wycombe.
Didcot give a late fitness test to defender Martin Brown (hamstring).
North Leigh will be without Ben Reardon (suspended) and Mark Simms (now Abingdon Town) for their trip to AFC Hayes.
Abingdon United host Uxbridge.
Saturday's squads Banbury Utd (v Clevedon, home): from from Murrell, Stringfellow, Abassi, Essex, Bennett, Redknap, Travers, Bridges, For-inton, Gordon, Groves, Buckwell, Peppiatt, Sambrook, Reeves, Wheeler, Stanbridge, Haisey.
Oxford C (v Yate Tn, home): from Williams, Lambert, Ballard, Gunn, Baird, Malone, Savage, Davis, Lyon, Faulkner, Faulc-onbridge, Fisher, Carbon, Merritt.
Didcot Tn (v Bishops Cleeve, away): from Watkins, Heapy, Sampson, Jack, Williams, Brown, Mortimer-Jones, Osbourne-Rick-etts, Howell, Bartley, King, Roach, Powell, Dutton-Black, Elkins, Hopkins.
Abingdon Utd (v Uxbridge, home): from Warrell, Burton, Janes, Smith, Peirson, Fr-anklin, Davies, Organ, Weedon, Austin, McCalmon, Herbert, Biddle, Benjamin, Holden, Beechers, Odhiambo.
North Leigh (v AFC Hayes, away): from Farrow, Dodds, Huxley, Hole, Weedon, Allen, Parker, Helby, McCabe, Hope, Futcher, Jackson, Sadler, Burnell.
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