FA Carlsberg Trophy

ABINGDON United boss Richie Bourne has hit out at defender Ben McReady, who says he wants to leave the Northcourt Road club.

Bourne spoke of his anger after the club slashed his playing budget in half due to financial worries.

While three players, Scott Griffin, Shaun Wimble and Steve Davis have opted to leave the club, Bourne singled out McReady, who has left the Abingdon United boss seething.

He said: “I had to announce the budget cut to the players at a meeting, and sadly, we’ve lost a few because of this.

“We just can’t afford to pay them, it’s as simple as that.

“Scott and Steve told me they wanted to leave, while I had to let Shaun go as well.

“But with Ben, he’s gone about things in a very under-hand way, contacting other clubs without telling me.

“I don’t have an issue if people want to leave the club in this situation, that’s the nature of football, but Ben went behind my back.

“I’m very disappointed in him. He’s let me and his teammates down.

“I can assure you, he won’t be in the squad for Saturday, but will have to wait for a seven-day approach before going anywhere else.

“It will be a harsh lesson for him, but he will have to pay the penalty for not doing the right thing with me.”

Abingdon travel to Evo-Stik Southern League Central Division side Chalfont St Peter tomorrow in the preliminary round, and include new signing Sam Packer, a midfielder formerly on the books with Swindon Town.

Bourne added: “We need a win of some sort to get the confidence going.”

Didcot Town will be without Alex Stanley (suspended) when they host Clevedon.

Didcot boss Dave Mudge said: “If there’s one thing I’ve picked up in my first nine days here, it’s that the fitness needs to be better.

“We deserved our point at Mangotsfield last week, and our performance on Tuesday at Halesowen was superb, but we just ran out of legs.

“I’m hoping to add three or four to the squad, and we’re trying to add some quality to what we already have here.”

North Leigh should be at full strength for their trip to fellow Division 1 South & West side Thatcham Town.

Andy McCabe faces a late fitness test on a groin strain, but should be passed fit.

TOMORROW'S SQUADS

North Leigh (v Thatcham Tn, away): from Warrell, Parish, Flanagan, Osborne-Ricketts, Hole, Organ, Bowles, Sanders, Caton, McCabe, Hopkins, Deabill, Williams, Mills, Roberts.

Abingdon Utd (v Chalfont St Peter, away): from J Foster, Smith, Carnell, Buck, Allaway, Angell, Kingsbeer, Biddle, Doyle, Parfitt, Packer, Young, Collier, Evans, A Foster.

Didcot Tn (v Clevedon Tn, home): from Beames, Halliday, Peirson, Henderson, Millar, Howell, Seaward, Concannon, Charles, Legg, Lynch, Owusu, Faulconbridge.