As we enter the new year, we restart our league campaign with a short trip to RG14 to take on Newbury in the rearranged fixture. Initially scheduled before the festive break, Sheldon Baptiste’s side meet with the ‘Town this Saturday off the back of a month long break, with our last fixture ending in a 3-1 loss to Westwood Wanderers back in November, whilst the hosts enter the clash following a 5-0 defeat to Wargrave. Both teams are well rested, with our opposition last playing on the 14th December, and so it looks to be a competitive fixture.
ABOUT THE OPPOSITION – With reference to FCHD.info
In 2007, Newbury earned runners-up in the Reading League. As a result of this, they gained a place in the Hellenic League Division One East, in which they fought in for three years, before being named champions, and subsequently earning promotion to the Premier Division.
In the 2015/16 season, Newbury joined the Thames Valley Premier League, and in 2018, they were relegated to Division One, despite finishing fifth in the league table. They were named Division One Champions the same year, and were reinstated into the Premier Division.
The 2021/22 campaign saw Newbury rejoin the Hellenic League in Division Two South, however they swapped over to Division Two East the next season. Winning all 20 of their matches, gaining the maximum 60 points, they rejoined the Thames Valley Premier League in Division One.
Last season saw Newbury finish second in the table, allowing them to apply for promotion into the next division, which was accepted. This year, they share the same league fixtures as our Under 23s in Step 7.
Currently, Newbury sit fourteenth in the table, with one win and one draw in eleven matches.
HEAD-TO-HEAD
Our last meeting with the Town was held at the Atrium back in September, ending in a goalless draw.
Prior to this, our other meetings resulted in a comprehensive 8-1 away win for our Cityzens, and a 2-2 draw, also held at the Atrium, both back in April 2021.
LAST MEETINGS
0-0 Home Draw – 21/09/2024
8-1 Away Win – 26/06/2021
2-2 Home Draw – 17/04/2021
ADDRESS: Faraday Road, Newbury, RG14 2AD
KEY INFORMATION: There are no admission fees for this match – 2pm Kick-Off
GETTING HERE
Get on M4 in Theale from A4155 and A4
Head south on A329
Use the left lane to take the slip road to Newbury/A4/Oxford/Hexagon
At the roundabout, take the 3rd exit onto Castle St/A4155
Continue straight onto Bath Rd/A4
At the roundabout, take the 2nd exit and stay on Bath Rd/A4
At the roundabout, take the 2nd exit and stay on Bath Rd/A4
At the roundabout, take the 3rd exit onto the M4 slip road
Follow M4 to A34. Take exit 13 from M4
Merge onto M4
At junction 13, take the A34 exit to Oxford/Newbury
At the roundabout, take the 1st exit onto the A34 slip road to Southampton/M3/Newbury
Use the right 2 lanes to take the slip road onto A34
Take A339 to Faraday Rd in Newbury
Merge onto A34
Use the left 2 lanes to turn slightly left onto A339
At the roundabout, take the 2nd exit onto Western Ave/A339
Turn left onto Fleming Rd
Turn left onto Faraday Rd
By Bus: Through our notable ‘Reading Buses’ service, take the ‘Jet Black 1’, embarking at one of its many stops across the route, beginning at ‘St Mary’s Butts’ (stop CA) in Central Reading, heading towards Newbury Wharf. Disembark at Shaw Road Foot, take the pedestrian tunnel, a slight left and then a right before reaching Faraday Road.
By Rail: The nearest station to the ground is ‘Newbury’ railway station. From Reading Station, embark on the Great Western Railway route towards Newbury, which will take approximately thirty minutes. Disembark upon reaching the Newbury platform and take a fifteen minute walk to Faraday Road.
