The third team are at home for the second week running this week and that means that, for the first time this season, Bishops Cleeve Playing Fields will see the first and third teams in action at the same time. 

The Reserves, meanwhile, head off to Balcarras School to take on Charlton Rovers in Cheltenham League Division Two.  For much of last season, Charlton Rovers were there or there abouts at the top of the table, relishing their first season at such an elevated status following their promotion, the season before, from Division Three.  In fact, it is a measure of the manner in which they took to life in Division Two that they finished in the same position in the second tier – fourth – last season as they did in Division Three the previous year.  So far this season, they have, more or less, replicated their showing from last year.  They are currently in fifth place, having won three and drawn two of their first eight games.  Whilst their away form hasn’t been great – they have picked up five points from their four away games so far – their home form was spot on, until they played Northway at the beginning of November.  Their first three home games saw them score 12 goals in beating Cheltenham Saracens, Brockworth Albion and Cheltenham Civil Service but they then lost by the odd goal in what looks to have been a seven goal thriller against Northway.  Last season, the Reserves played Charlton Rovers three times, drawing 0-0 away from home in September and winning the final League game, at home, 2-0 in April.  The two sides also met at Balcarras in the County Cup at the beginning of December, when goals from Dave Hawley and John Marchant gave the Reserves a 2-1 lead but a missed penalty let the hosts back into a game they then went on to win 3-2.   The Reserves will be without Dan Robinson and Mark Taylor this week but Rob Vaughan, a goal scoring Man of the Match for the thirds last Saturday, is brought back into the squad along with Guy Tyrell and Graham Withers

The First team entertain Tetbury Town on Saturday and will be looking to put in a good performance against a side that has struggled to make its mark so far this season.  There have been some good points for this weekend’s visitors – a 3-2 win against Cam Bulldogs on the third Saturday of the season and a 2-2 draw against Shortwood United at the beginning of November – but in general terms, they have been undermined by their poor away form, which has seen them concede 16 goals away from home in just 4 games in which they have picked up just one point with a 3-3 draw at Wotton Rovers.  The Firsts and Tetbury also share the dubious distinction of having both been dumped out of a Cup Competition this season by Longlevens, as Saturday’s visitors lost 4-1 to the League Leaders in the NSL League Cup in August .  Last season, the honours were even with both games ending 2-1, Tetbury picking up the points at home in September and the first team gaining the win at Cheltenham Road at the end of January.  This time round, the Firsts welcome Rick Redfearn back to a squad that also includes Steve Bermingham following last weekend's absence

The third team are at home again this week and this time will welcome Charlton Kings to Cheltenham Road.  40-odd years ago, Charlton Kings were one of the biggest names in local football, second only to Cheltenham Town on the local football scene.  The first team was in the County League, the reserves were in the Northern Senior and their other sides regularly challenged for Divisional titles in the Cheltenham League.  The club, which now just has the Division Five side that will be playing the thirds on Saturday, has obviously met with very hard times since then and they were relegated last season to the lowest level at which their first team has ever played.  However, things have gone well this season, with the side winning 5 of its first eight League games and drawing one, 2-2 at home to FC Electrics last Saturday.   Both their defeats have come away from home and while they will have been disappointed to have lost at Sherborne in the second game of the season, by 4-3, a defeat by the same score at a rejuvenated Cleevonians would not have been disheartening.  Meanwhile, the most noteworthy of the club’s early season victories was the 3-2 home win over Tewkesbury Town at the beginning of this month.  Matt Hall will make a welcome return to on-pitch duties for the third team this week in a squad that includes Neil Bermingham following his return from injury and Craig Mortiboys after last weeks absence