Brakes won’t be caught cold

Two successive league postponements have left Brakes without a game since their 1-1 draw on a treacherous Banbury pitch on November 27.

And, with cup matches also being thrown into the mix, it means Holleran’s side have to look back to November 9 for their last Zamaretto Premier Division victory.

“I’ll be amazed if we don’t play and we’re all expecting to have a run out,” said Holleran, whose side lie level on points with their fourth-placed hosts.

“We’re hopeful to get it on. It’s been a stop-start last few weeks for us, with the only game we played being a bit of a farce.”

Despite drawing their last two league outings, Brakes head to Wiltshire in a positive frame of mind having picked up 23 points from a possible 27.

The two stalemates both came away from the New Windmill and Holleran says it is vital his side show the same steely resolve to prevent their play-off rivals stealing a march on them.

“It’s important we get something at Chippenham. We got spanked there last season and a few individuals waved the white flag.

“However we’re physically and mentally stronger than last year and we had a good game against them earlier in the season which could have gone either way.

“We’ve got a few games in hand on the teams around us and I’d like to take advantage to open up a bit of a gap.”

The two-week break has allowed one or two niggles in the Brakes squad to clear up and Holleran admits he will have a few selection dilemmas tomorrow, with a full-strength squad to choose from.

Whatever line-up he opts to 
put out, he at least knows there will be no surprises from Adie Mings’ side.

“We need to get straight back into the groove and it’s a good game to get back into it,” he added.

“With Chippenham you know exactly what to expect.

“They are direct, get the ball forward quickly and hit you with set plays. And, in Alan Griffin and Lewis Powell, they’ve got two strikers who are as good as anything in the league.

“We know what’s coming and if we’re not physically prepared, we’ll get beaten up.”

n Brakes’ home fixture against Cirencester Town, which was rescheduled for Tuesday, has had to be postponed for a second time.

The Centurions have a cup game pencilled in for that evening which takes precedence over league fixtures.

The game, along with the home fixture against Swindon and the trip to Chesham United, will now be rearranged for early 2011.