Cinderford Town welcome 13th placed Melksham Town to the Causeway this weekend, in a bid to claim much needed points to sustain their gleaming survival hopes.
Following the game against Slimbridge being postponed for the home side last night, Cinderford’s turn their attention to yet another competitor for survival in Melksham, where the sides were held at a 1-1 stalemate back in November.
The Foresters took all three points in their previous fixture away at Bideford last Saturday, with Forest Green Rovers loanee Finn Bell scoring the only goal of the game on his first start for the club.
Now past the halfway point of the season, Cinderford manager Alex Sykes expressed his need to not focus on any “hard luck stories about certain games,” and to “look forward to the next 18 games,” and whether or not his side will stay up.
“We’ve made big strides since last year. I’ve been at post for a year now, and the quality of the squad is much better, but likewise the quality of the league is much better so we’re only as good as the position we finish in – that’s what we’ll gage at the end of the season.”
Sykes’ squad have lost three more games at home this season than on the road, with a record of two wins, one draw and five losses.
Amongst the front men of Cinderford, the backroom staff also have had a key role to play within the spirit of the side, and act as a true testament to the values of non-league football.
Former Cinderford Town forward and top goal-scorer Ben Brooks will be returning to the Causeway in new colours, as he signed for Melksham earlier on in the season, and even scored on his debut for his new team.
For Melksham, their last match ended in defeat at the hands of sixth placed Tavistock, failing to record a clean sheet in the previous 11 games.
The two teams have the exact same goals conceded so far this season at 42 against, with Cinderford now having a game in hand over Melksham.
