Managers praise players after wins

Hungerford Town and Thatcham Town both returned to league action this week and recorded 3-0 away wins

HUNGERFORD Town boss, Bobby Wilkinson, has heaped praise on his players after they returned to league action with a “fantastic” 3-0 win at Andover on Monday.

After not playing a league match for almost six weeks, Hungerford kicked off the New Year in style with goals from Chris Blackford and two from Richard Bland securing a vital three points to help consolidate the club's position in eighth in the Zamaretto League Division One South and West table.

And Wilkinson claims his side played some of their best football of the year in the 3-1 Red Insure Cup defeat to Cirencester Town last Thursday and Monday's thumping win at the league's bottom side.

“It was a fantastic win,” he said.

“I am overjoyed with the result and I couldn't be happier.”

Wilkinson said his players deserved great credit for their efforts over the Christmas period, which included reporting for extra training on Sunday in a bid to keep fit and prepare for the game at Andover.

He said that with games now coming thick and fast to reduce the massive fixture backlog caused by the recent inclement weather, his squad would be severely tested, although he said they would take it game by game, starting with the visit of ninth-placed Taunton Town to Bulpit Lane on Saturday.

Taunton are currently on the same points tally as Hungerford, but they have played three games more and Wilkinson said his side would be looking to get a win to move them closer to the play-off positions.

Meanwhile, Thatcham Town boss Gary Ackling was also keen to praise his players this week after they secured a 3-0 win at Abingdon United on Monday.

Thatcham, who also had not been in league action since December 11, moved up to 13th place thanks to goals from Aaron Parfitt, Carl Self and James Clark and Ackling said he was delighted with the result.

He said: “It was a very good performance. I was a bit concerned after a few weeks off and wondered whether we could pick up where we left off, but fortunately we did.

“I thought we dominated a lot of the game. We looked lively up front, solid in midfield and our defence was superb.”

Ackling said he hoped his side would now continue to pick up points to climb the table, although he admitted they face a tough task on Saturday when they host the attack-minded Mangotsfield United at Waterside Park.

However, Ackling said his side would go into the game with the fourth-placed team full of confidence after Monday's win.