Southern League South & West Division Cinderford Town 0

Thatcham Town 4

CINDERFORD Town manager Paul Weeks was seething after seeing both of his centre-halves sent off on Tuesday night.

In-form Thatcham have won eight and drawn one of their last 10 games, but Weeks was not overly impressed with the Berkshire side.

He believes his side would have got something from the game if they had not lost both Tom Billing and Greg Lewis to red cards.

He also felt similar offences committed by Thatcham went unpunished.

He said: "It is extremely frustrating. They bang on about RESPECT but the referees won't let you talk to them before, during or after a game. It's garbage.

"A lot of referees in this league are easily manipulated by experienced players. If you shout at them and get aggressive with them, they fold."

Billing and Lewis both received straight red cards for fouls – Billing inside 20 minutes and Lewis in the second half. Billing also gave away a penalty which Rees converted.

Weeks said: "The guy cut across Tom and yes, he brought him down.

"Greg's challenge was clumsy but it was close to the halfway line. It was only a yellow card.

"For the first 20 minutes we were all over them.

"Our lads worked their socks off when it was nine versus 11.

"It's a shame what happened. I just hope our season doesn't peter out."

Thatcham's Scott Rees helped himself to a hat-trick with goals in the 17th, 62nd and 81st minutes.

Mark Hughes made the final score look even more flattering with a fourth in injury-time.

This was Cinderford's sixth game in a fortnight and some of the players were understandably weary.

Weeks added: "The fixture congestion has killed us. We had 13 fit players last night.

"I don't know why they don't play more games at the start of the season when the weather's good.

"The league say they want to encourage clubs to get games on rather than call them off, but it's not down to us.

"Earlier in the season we were all ready to play, then the ref came along and called the game off because there was a bit of frost in the corner."

"Making clubs play all these games at the end of the season is not fair, not just on us but on other clubs like Almondsbury."

This Saturday, Cinderford face Mangotsfield United at home and there could be a familiar face in the opposition's line-up.

Cinderford Town striker Sam O'Sullivan, a sub against Thatcham, is all set to switch to the Bristolians and could be in their line-up this coming weekend.

Keeper Ben John is a doubt for that match after suffering a suspected fractured ankle on Tuesday night.

Cinderford Town: Ben John, Warren Archer, Greg Lewis, Tom Billing, Danny Haines, Andy Lewis, Matt Barnes, Dale Evans, Leon Jeanne, Max Etheridge, Lewis Sommers. Subs: Dan Harrison, Sam O'Sullivan, Alex Harris, Brad Andrews.