Reading Town ready for step up

Published 20 Jan 2010 09:00 0 Comments

READING Town assistant manager Glenn Goudie believes the club is ready to take the step up to Southern League level - if they can maintain their momentum at the top of the Hellenic Premier Division.

Town were in scintillating form in the early part of the season, dropping just six points in their first 20 games to race to the top of the Hellenic League.

They have suffered a minor blip since then, losing two of their last four in the league, including a 2-0 reverse at Shortwood United on Tuesday night.

But despite that, Town still find themselves a massive 13 points clear at the top of the division, although they have played four games more than nearest rivals Almondsbury Town, Wantage Town and Shortwood.

Only the champions make the step up to the Southern League and Town have decided to put themselves forward for promotion should they finish at the top of the pile.

And Goudie said: "We met with the board and they have gone through what we need to add to the ground to take the step up.

"The management and the players just try to look after the football side of things.

"We try to do things in a professional way and things are already run like a Southern League club - it's now just a case of taking that final step to reach the next level."

As well as their success in the league, Town will be looking to add to their trophy cabinet following last season's success in the Berks & Bucks Senior Trophy.

And they have enjoyed just as much success in knockout football as the league programme, reaching the quarter-finals of the Hellenic Challenge Cup and the last four of the Floodlit Cup.

And Goudie explained: "Winning the Trophy last season really gave the team a great sense of belief that they could win some silverware.

"The team has really progressed and improved on the back of that and they have shown it in all the competitions they have played so far."

A rusty Town suffered just their second defeat of the campaign when they went down 2-0 at Shortwood on Tuesday.

The recent Arctic blast had meant the table-toppers had enjoyed very little training since their last game at Ascot United on January 2.

And goals either side of half-time from Alton Axton and Matthew Collins proved enough for the hosts to take the points.

Town will be looking to bounce back straight away, with the visit of Fairford Town on Saturday, before they start the defence of the B&B Senior Trophy with a trip to Shrivenham next Wednesday.

And Goudie said: "If you had looked at the start of the season and said you would reach this point having only lost twice, I'm sure a lot of teams would take that position.

"But we have got two very important games coming up this week.

"When we lost to Kidlington, we came back and got two good wins, and we need to bounce back in the same way again."

Woodley Town look set to get back to action in Hellenic One (East) this weekend when they make the trip to mid-table outfit Eton Wick.

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