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Author: Roger Jackson, Posted: Thursday, 5th December 2024, 09:00
Shurdington Rovers striker Mark Hitchman
High-flying Shurdington Rovers are closing in on an impressive landmark.
Their 3-1 win at AFC Cheltenham in their most recent Cheltenham League outing means they are only one goal short of 50 for the campaign.
That’s very good going as they have played just the nine league games, winning eight and drawing one.
They are leading the way in Division Two, a point clear of AFC Cheltenham who had won all eight of their previous games.
“It was a good result, it was a tough game,” said 32-year-old Shurdington goalkeeper Nathan Buckland.
Striker Mark Hitchman got two of their goals - “He’s lethal in front of goal,” said Buckland – while Hadley Gilbert got the other.
Hitchman’s double took his tally to 20 for the season and with another 15 league games to play, he will be looking to add plenty more in the coming weeks and months.
Buckland is in his second spell with the club – this is his first season back – and he’s clearly enjoying it, because Shurdington have conceded only six goals in the league.
He was Shurdington’s man-of-the-match against AFC Cheltenham, and he said: “The club recruited well in the summer, players like Ryan Smith, Lee Brady and Connor Harmer.”
Captain Gary Robinson has been at the club for much longer and he, like everyone else at the club, wants to win promotion as champions.
“That’s the goal for any team, we want to win the league,” said Buckland.
“I remember when I was at Dowty Dynamos a few years ago, we won promotion but missed out on the title on goal difference, we were gutted.”
Shurdington return to league action a week on Saturday when they travel to fifth-placed Newton.
Before that they are at Whaddon United 3rds for a Primary Charities Cup game. Saturday’s game is one they will be looking forward to because they’ve already beaten Whaddon 10-1 at home in the league.
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