It’s another busy sporting weekend ahead with many of the sides on our patch playing their matches away from home.
But one side who are playing host is BINFIELD.
The Moles are battling for a place in the first qualifying round of the FA Cup when they welcome Horndean to Hill Farm Lane.
Roger Herridge’s charges recorded an impressive 4-3 win over Chichester City in the last round to set up this clash with Wessex Premier League outfit.
Herridge called Horndean “half decent” when the draw was made, describing the side they beat in the last round, Melksham, as “nearly as good as it gets at step five”.
Kick-off is 3pm.
Elsewhere, READING are on the road in the Championship, looking to follow up Tuesday night’s win over Aston Villa with victory against Preston North End and Deepdale.
See a full preview of that game with manager Jaap Stam here.
WOODLEY UNITED are seeking their first goal in the Hellenic Premier Division but will be without eight players for their trip to Abingdon United.
WOKINGHAM AND EMMBROOK travel to Milton United in Hellenic Division One East,
looking to build on the 4-2 opening day win at AFC Aldermaston.
We caught up with manager Dan Bateman this week to discuss his hopes for Sumas’ season.
Early Combined Counties Division One leaders EVERSLEY AND CALIFORNIA go to Bedfont and Feltham while the Thames Valley League is also back in full swing with WOODLEY UNITED ROYALS travelling to Cookham Dean and WOKINGHAM AND EMMBROOK RESERVES facing Reading YMCA.
It is also a crucial week on the cricket scene.
FINCHAMPSTEAD’S Home Counties Premier League title hopes could be officially over if they fail to win at Banbury.
We spoke with captain Dan Marles this week, who explained how he’d be making big change to the side this week.
Thames Valley Division 1 leaders WOKINGHAM need to bounce straight back from defeat to Cove last week when they go to struggling Finchampstead 2s, while SONNING, HURST and EVERSLEY are all on the road.
BINFIELD will look to boost their Chilterns Division 1 title hopes with victory over Littlewick Green.
Fixtures (3pm unless stated)
Friday August 18:
RUGBY –
Pre-season friendly
London Irish v Ealing Trailfinders (7.30pm)
Saturday August 19:
FOOTBALL –
Sky Bet Championship
Preston North End v Reading
FA Cup
Binfield v Horndean
Hellenic Premier Division
Abingdon United v Woodley United
Hellenic Division One East
Milton United v Wokingham and Emmbrook
Combined Counties Division One
Bedfont and Feltham v Eversley and California
Thames Valley Premier Division
Cookham Dean v Woodley United Royals, Reading YMCA v Wokingham and Emmbrook Reserves (both 2pm)
CRICKET –
Home Counties Premier League Division 1
Banbury v Finchampstead (11am)
Thames Valley League Division 1
Finchampstead 2s v Wokingham (12.30pm)
Thames Valley League Division 2a
Chesham 2s v Eversley (12.30pm)
Thames Valley League Division 2b
Beaconsfield v Sonning, Thatcham Town v Hurst (both 12.30pm)
Thames Valley League Division 3a
Wargrave v Chiswick and Whitton (12.30pm)
Berkshire League Premier Division
Welford Park v Woodley, West Reading v Berkshire County Sports, Woodcote v Crowthorne and Crown Wood (all 1pm)
Berkshire League Division 1
Emmbrook and Bearwood v Peppard Stoke Row 2s, Farley Hill v Checkendon (both 1pm)
Berkshire League Division 2
Crowthorne and Crown Wood 2s v Twyford and Ruscombe, Earley v Shinfield, Waltham St Lawrence v Warfield (all 1pm)
Berkshire League Division 3
West Reading 3s v Knowl Hill (1pm)
Chilterns League Division 1
Binfield v Littlewick Green (12.30pm)
