Thatcham Town manager Yashwa Romeo looking for positivity ahead of ‘make or break’ Cinderford double-header
Thatcham Town’s defeat on Saturday saw them fall thirteen points away from safety.
The 2-1 loss at home to Bemerton Heath Harlequins was a tough one to take, with Thatcham well in the game for large periods on Saturday afternoon.
The days leading up to the match saw a squad update, as versatile attacking-midfielder Sam Tanner departed the club.
Tanner signed at the start of the 2023/24 season from Reading City, scoring eleven goals across 76 appearances for Thatcham and becoming a fan-favourite before departing for Hartley Wintney in the Isthmian South Central.
There were some incomings however, as Ben Portbury and Shyam Taank joined up with the squad last week.
Thatcham started off well and were able to create chances in the opening stages.
On-loan Reading keeper Matthew Pullinger pulled off an excellent save early on to stop Patrick Jenkins from making it 1-0.
He was tested once again shortly afterwards, as Bemerton were awarded a penalty.
Pullinger saved this too, as the tame spot-kick hit his trailing leg and the contest resumed at 0-0.
Ten minutes later the visitors got their breakthrough, as a corner saw the ball headed onto the underside of the bar.
The linesman determined that it had crossed the line for 1-0.
Thatcham pushed on in the second-half, looking to fight back into the game.
They went close with a flurry of corners, but were caught out by Bemerton who countered with a precise through ball and finished well for 2-0.
Thatcham never gave up though, demonstrated by striker Harvey Flippance as he fired home Callum Willmoth’s corner from close range.
Thatcham continued to threaten well into injury time, but were unable to create much in the way of clear-cut chances as the game ended in a 2-1 defeat.
“We were in it for large parts,” said manager Yashwa Romeo.
“The reality is the better side won.
“Their midfield was causing us a lot of problems.
“We gave them a sniff and didn’t clear our lines well enough.
“It allowed them to keep the pressure on us.
“We just keep giving away cheap goals.”
Watching Romeo on the side lines, it’s clear how much it all means to the Thatcham boss.
He kicks every ball along with his side, coaching his young players through games against far more experienced opposition.
“That’s where we are,” he explained.
“I have to give them instructions. If you have senior players they generally know the game and can gauge where the game is going.
“Young players can tend to miss that and do what they were brought up doing.
“We’re not there yet, is the truth.”
Thatcham are above only one side in the Southern Football League Division One South - Cinderford Town.
They now play them in a double-header, travelling to the Forest of Dean on Saturday before hosting them on Tuesday 25th.
“We’ve just got to take every game as it comes, as a bit of fun,” he said.
“If you emphasise how big the game is, nerves can get to you.
“Give it your all, give it your best shot. If we’re going to go down, we’ll go down fighting.
“This week will just be about keeping it positive and fun, then bouncing into Saturday.
“But yeah, this is make or break now.”
