Published: Friday, 22nd January, 2010 12:50pm

Satsumas poised to pick up the winning thread

Comments (0) | Print | Email

WOKINGHAM & Emmbrook assistant boss Roger Herridge is hoping to see the Satsumas pick up from where they left off if they get their season up and running again this weekend.

As with the rest of the Hellenic League, Wokingham have been forced to deal with an unscheduled winter break over six weeks of the Christmas period.

But they look all set to get back out on the pitch for the first time in 2010 this Saturday when they host Padbury United in the fourth round of the Berks & Bucks Intermediate Cup.

The Satsumas had been breezing past all-comers before the weather intervened in December and a win this weekend would make it 10 wins in a row in all competition.

Herridge, pictured, admitted that getting that momentum going again immediately will be important if they are to push on and claim the Hellenic One (East) title.

But that will be no easy matter after a 42-day break from competitive action.

And Herridge joked: "We've been away so long that it's almost like coming back after pre-season again.

"But they are a fit bunch of lads, who are absolutely desperate to get a game of football in.

"It's important we get our momentum going again with so many games coming up between now and the end of the season.

"Just because we have had a break does not mean we have taken our eyes off the prize in any way - and that's to make sure we get ourselves out of this division."

In some ways the visit of Padbury could be seen as the ideal game to ease Wayne Wanklyn's men back into action.

The North Buckinghamshire outfit ply their trade in Division Two of the Spartan South Midlands League - a level below that at which the Satsumas operate - and currently sit in fourth spot.

A county cup game could be viewed as the perfect opportunity to run the rust out of the players' legs before the main task of getting back to league action in February.

But, while admitting promotion is still the main priority, Herridge is adamant the Satsumas players will be going all out for the win, in what should prove a testing encounter.

He explained: "Wayne and myself have always said the main priority is the league, but we look to win every game we play.

"So we've had a couple of good training sessions now where the players showed some real intensity.

"We're going into a game where we know nothing about the opposition so we have to expect it will be a very tough encounter.

"They are playing at a level the equivalent of the Reading Senior League, and we know how difficult those teams can be to beat.

"So we've prepared as well as we can for Saturday and we're ready to get out there and try to remember what it's like playing a match after so long."