Didcot Town are set to give a debut to young Reading keeper Dean Santangelo when they travel to Marlow in Saturday's first qualifying-round.

Teenager Santangelo has signed on loan because regular No 1 Jon Beames again misses out due to personal reasons.

Reece O’Connor filled in for Beames in Saturday’s 1-0 home defeat by Bishops Cleeve after joining from Reading YMCA.

“David will come in and take over between the sticks,” said boss Dave Mudge.

“He is 6ft 4ins and a second-year professional. He is just what we need to get us going.”

Meanwhile, Mudge wants his players to keep working hard on the training ground to get to the necessary fitness levels.

Although his side slipped to a 1-0 defeat last time out against Bishops Cleeve, he feels it is starting to pay off.

He said: “They only had one chance and scored from it.

“We played quite well, but we would have been here until yesterday and wouldn’t have scored.

“The positive thing is we are creating chances and we’re only being beaten by the odd goal.

“But the fitness levels are not good enough and the players said after the game they were feeling jaded.

“That’s how it’s going to be for a while – they have to put in the hours – and with the previous regime they didn’t.”

Didcot Tn: Santangelo, O’Connor, Elkins, Halliday, Henderson, Mudge, Bayley, Millar, Howell, Asombang, Seaward, Davis, Stanley, McLean, Bangura, Parker, Peirson.