Shorey on call for Borough visit

HUNGERFORD TOWN will have Nicky Shorey in their squad for Saturday’s visit of Gosport Borough in the Vanarama National League South.

The 35-year old former Aston Villa and England defender will join the players who lost 2-0 at Truro City in midweek for the visit of a Gosport side that comes to Hungerford level on points, with the teams separated only by goal difference.

The sides last met two seasons ago when Gosport won 1-0 in an FA Trophy tie at Bulpit Lane before going on to reach the Wembley final. This season’s form has been steady, a 1-1 home draw with Hampton and Richmond Borough last week matching Hungerford’s result at Margate.

Manager Alex Pike re-shaped his squad over the summer, losing ace marksman Justin Bennett but bringing in Chis Flood form vbasingsotkre, Ben Wright from Maidenhead United and notably Warren Bentley, who netted 44 times for Southern League Winchester last season and has hit six so far this term.

Hungerford manager Bobby Wilkinson is hoping that is own strikers can match that rate of return, especially after a week that saw so many chances go astray: “We’ve had 15 or 20 clear-cut chances over two games and we’ve scored one, the teams we played had five chances and three goals.

“That’s what I’ve got to think about.”

After Saturday, Hungerford must prepare for another midweek trip when they go to Weston-Super-Mare on Tuesday night before the easier journey to Basingstoke Town in the FA Cup the following Saturday.

What’s the odds?

HUNGERFORD are priced around 5/4 for Saturday’s game with Gosport 7/4 and 12/5 the draw.

Punters can get 15/2 and 9/1 respectively for a 1-0 win to either side, and 11/2 for a 1-1 draw.