A lot of love for Romeo

It’s been a good week for Thatcham Town, who welcomed new chairman Paul Ayres with a much-needed 3-0 win over South Park Regiate.

Ayres steps up from his previous role as marketing manager and replaces long serving custodian Eric Bailey, who will continue on as vice-chairman until the end of the season.

Ayres said: “I’m excited to get started, although I do realise this won’t be easy and will be a learning curve for me.

“My long-term aim is to progress the club further, to improve communications and build on making the club a community club and one that the people of Thatcham can be proud of.

“This is not a new beginning but another chapter in the history of Thatcham Town Football Club.”

Meanwhile, just the one midweek signing seems tame given the recent rate at which Yashwa Romeo has introduced new faces to the squad, goalkeeper Toby Fisher the man in the door this week, signing on loan from Aldershot Town.

And Fisher went straight into Romeo’s side for the visit of South Park, who arrived at the Stacatruc in third in the Isthmian League South Central table.

Thatcham were on a run of four games without a win while South Park had won three of their last four but it was the Kingfishers who started the better, Cameron Rohart-Brown’s first time effort tipped over the bar in the 18th minute in the best effort of the opening exchanges.

New man Fisher was forced into a fine save half an hour in, denying Aiden Brown from close range to keep his clean sheet intact.

Yashwa Romeo has often bemoaned his side’s failure to score the first goal this season but he had no such complaints this weekend, Rohart-Brown capitalising on a misplaced pass to give the hosts the lead in the 41st minute.

Into the second half and both Fisher and Rohart-Brown looked to be locked in a two-man battle for the man of the match award - Fisher made himself big to thwart Brown when he was through on goal in the 54th minute before Rohart-Brown doubled the Kingfishers lead two minutes later, drilling a low shot into the right hand corner from the edge of the box.

Fisher was undoubtedly impressing on his debut but Rohart-Brown made sure he’d be the man heading home with the award and the match ball just after the hour, completing his hat-trick with a tap in after Ashley Howell’s initial shot was saved.

Thatcham went close to a fourth with 20 minutes remaining when Kiye Martin’s venomous half volley sailed just wide of the post but Fisher and his fellow Kingfishers protected their clean sheet to secure a crucial three points and move up to 16th in the league table.

"We were really good from start to finish," said a delighted Romeo.

"We dominated possession, were good on the ball and got the ball out wide to our full backs, that's how we want to play."

Reading loanee David Nyarko was prolific in his short stint at the Stacatruc but has since returned to his parent club, meaning Romeo will need the likes of Rohart-Brown, traditionally a full back, to continue to chip in with goals.

Romeo said: "We'll need to replace David's goals, I'm delighted Cam was able to do that.

"We've tried him in midfield the last couple of games, he's technically excellent, if he can bring goals that's a real bonus."

Thatcham went out of the Berks and Bucks Cup in midweek, losing on penalties to Marlow after a 3-3 draw.

The Kingfishers return to league action this weekend with a trip to Tooting and Mitcham – who lie one place below them in 17th.