Dr Martens League – Western Division

Cinderford Town 1

Bedworth United 1

THESE are happy days at The Causeway. Cinderford Town have made a great start to the season – their best ever in the Dr Martens League – and now all they want is a cup run ...

So the focus will switch from the hills of the Forest to the plains of the Avon this Saturday when Cinderford make the short trip to Evesham for an FA Cup game.

And this is a revenge mission.

Evesham are the only team to defeat Cinderford this season, winning 3-1 on their own ground last month.

"We know its a tough one but we will be well prepared and, of course, we know what to expect this time," said club chairman Ashley Saunders.

He is well aware that a cup run does wonders for morale as well as bringing in much-needed cash.

Player coach Tony Hopkins has, says Saunders, built a very useful squad at The Causeway and among the Forest contingent he is full of admiration for the skills of Darryll Addis and Clayton Hook as well as former Newport Town player Leigh Hall who comes from Ross.

"We would all like a few more local boys in the side and, who knows, that may well come in the future," said Saunders.

But for now he is happy with the progress being made on the field in a highly competitive league.

However the future of the club may well rest on a new ground.

"There are parties interested in the Causeway," he admits.

"Planning ahead is not a five minute job. You can often take a step forward and two back, but ideally we would like a ground with training facilities and a ground which would enable us to properly develop a youth policy and give opportunities to local youngsters.

"At the moment we have to train in Monmouth or Gloucester and obviously that is far from being satisfactory," he said.

But at least until Saturday evening, the only move Saunders and the Cinderford followers want is the Evesham goalkeeper retrieving the ball from the back of his net!

Last Saturday's league game against Bedworth United had started superbly with a third minute goal by Scott Griffin. Town played well throughout but failed to press home their advantage and paid dearly when the visitors equalised in injury time.