Published: Friday, 29th January, 2010 1:49pm

Satsumas quick to pick up from where they left off

Nicky Bateman's late winner sent Wokingham & Emmbrook into the quarter-finals of the Berks & Bucks Intermediate Cup

ASSISTANT manager Roger Herridge believes the hard-fought County Cup win over Padbury United could be the ideal way for the Satsumas to kickstart the second half of their season.

Wokingham returned from their six-week lay-off with a 2-1 victory in the Berks & Bucks Intermediate Cup, to set up a quarter-final clash with Faringdon Town.

And, although last weekend's visitors play at the level below Wayne Wanklyn's side, only a superb strike four minutes from time by Nicky Bateman prevented the game going into extra-time.

Herridge admitted it was another tough test passed for the Hellenic One (East) leaders, who have still only been beaten once this term in all competitions.

And he said: "It was a great result because it was a very even contest throughout, we were delighted to come through.

"After six weeks rest it was probably the perfect game for us to play.

"You would rather have a tough game like that where you have to work really hard than play a lesser team and get an easy victory."

And Herridge believes that last weekend's clash gave the Wokingham youngsters the chance to show off another side of their game.

He explained: "I think winning a game like that shows the growing maturity of the players and how far we have come as a team.

"We were under the cosh at times and some of the challenges that were coming in were agricultural to say the least.

"If you are going to win things you are not going to dominate every game, and they had a gamplan which was to not allow us any room to play our football.

"I think last year we might have come away from that game on the wrong end of the scoreline, but we showed another side to our game and got the result which was very pleasing to see."

The Satsumas will have to show similar determination if they are to make a victorious return to league action with a tricky trip to mid-table Chinnor this weekend.

The Oxfordshire-side have enjoyed a mixed campaign so far after an impressive 2008/09 season.

But after a difficult start, they seemed to have turned their form around before the snowy conditions arrived.

With boss Wanklyn away, Herridge will take charge this weekend and he said: "It will be a very tough game on Saturday, but it could be last weekend's game was ideal preparation for it.

"Chinnor are a team with some very experienced players who like to get stuck in and the pitch is also not the easiest.

"But last week should have prepared us to come up against that sort of team, so we should be looking forward to getting back to league action and getting some points on the board."

Wokingham found the going tough last Saturday against their visitors from Spartan South Midlands Division Two outfit, before Bateman's late blast secured their passage.

The opening goal came in the first half in bizarre circumstances when a Padbury defender caught the ball at a corner, having claimed to have heard the referee's whistle.

Instead the official pointed to the spot for handball after confirming that he had not blown and, after a short delay, skipper Shaun Wanklyn fired home the spot kick.

The visitors levelled things midway through the second period, and the game looked set for extra-time before Bateman showed a touch of class to curl home the winner with four minutes to play and secure his side's passage to the last eight.

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