Targets for promotion

Hungerford, Newbury and Thatcham all in the market for new faces as promotion races get serious

ALL THREE promotion chasers are hoping to strengthen their squads this week as the chase to rise hots up.

Hungerford have clinched the signing of former Yate Town and Mangotsfield winger Joe McClellan, while Thatcham are keen are keen to bring back striker Charlie Mpi to the club.

And Newbury manager Steve Melledew expects to have three new faces in his ranks next week in a bid to freshen up his side's Hellenic League promotion challenge.

Former Bristol City youngster McClellan has long been on Hungerford manager Bobby Wilkinson's radar for a long time. "I wanted to sign him when I came here two years ago," he said.

Mpi had a spell at Thatcham last season, scoring eight times to help them into the promotion play-offs. Now at Beaconsfield SYCOB, he has been scoring regularly and Thatcham are hoping to team him up with their other recent signing, Carl Davies.

Newbury have recently added teenager Hayden Best from Highmoor Ibis to their squad, but manager Steve Melledew has three other targets in mind and expects them to add to his resources by next week.

Meanwhile, all three face important games. Hungerford go to the Sholing side that ditched Thatcham from the play-offs last season with Luke Hopper fit to play after having four stitches in an eye wound collected in last week's win over Didcot Town.

Thatcham have now gone 10 league games without a win and need to break that spell when they entertain Mangotsfield United on Saturday. And Newbury, who went down at home to fellow promotion contenders Rayners Lane last week, have a busy derby period, going to Hungerford's second string on Saturday and facing Thatcham's at Faraday Road on Tuesday night.