Boosted Moneys face tricky trip
Dave Carter’s men travel to in-form Cirencester Town
Resurgent Moneyfields face a big test of their returning confidence with a visit to in-form Cirencester Town in the Southern League Division One South.
Playing on a 3G surface will only add to the difficulties facing the visitors, against a team who have won three of their last four league games and also knocked divisional leaders Frome out of the Challenge Cup to reach the semi-final stage.
But boss Dave Carter feels his team will travel with greater optimism following wins in both the league and cup. In the league, they gave themselves some breathing space with their thumping 5-2 home success against Barnstaple Town last weekend.
They followed that up by knocking a strong Gosport Borough team out of the Portsmouth Senior Cup on penalties in midweek.
‘We are playing well and are undefeated in five games,’ said Carter.
‘It won't be easy at Cirencester because they are also going well.
‘But we are going there on the back of a good cup win against Gosport.
‘Beating Barnstaple took the pressure off us a little.
‘But we are looking to push on from here and climb higher up the league.
‘Since Christmas, we have played on a more regular basis and been able to field a more consistent line up.
‘Before this, it had become very stop-start and we were having to make four or five changes a game.
‘This made it difficult to maintain our fitness and match sharpness.
‘We are starting to get that back.’
Carter is also encouraged by the return to form of influential striker Steve Hutchings.
The former Bournemouth
forward has scored nine goals in his past seven games, including hattricks against Evesham and Barnstaple. Goalkeeper Jake Hallett returning has also been a massive boost. But the Moneys will be without Lewis Fennemore
Steve Hutchings’ goal return in his past seven Moneys outings (suspended) and Brett Poate (injured) on tomorrow.
‘Against Gosport, we worked tirelessly with every player putting in a big shift,’ said Carter.
‘Exactly the same will be needed at Cirencester.
‘Although we train on 3G, it isn't the same as playing on it regularly.’
The Moneys are seven points ahead of bottom club Basingstoke with a game in hand.