NEW COLLEGE assistant boss Matt Cosnett is hoping that his team will be able to play with freedom when they go looking to upset high-flying local rivals Fairford Town this weekend.

College, who haven’t won since October last year, welcome Gareth Davies’ league leaders to the Webb’s Wood Stadium on Saturday but Cosnett is certain that the weight of expectation won’t be on his young charges.

“The pressure will be all on Fairford because they’re the ones going for the league, so hopefully that will mean our lads can express themselves,” he said.

“When you’re at this stage of the season, you want to be playing in games against the good teams and we’ve been working on a game plan for this one.

“We’ve got a big game in the morning in the South West Counties against Ciren Academy, which is a local derby, so a few first-years might get their chance and myself and a few other coaches are signed on, so we might be on the bench.”

Meanwhile, there may have been a few more grey hairs on show than the days when they used to pull on the boots at Cinder Lane but players past and present enjoyed the inaugural Former Players’ Day at Fairford last Saturday.

Around 40 former players, with some travelling from as far as Cornwall and Devon, gathered to reminisce over club memorabilia and pictures after Fairford’s 0-0 draw with Shrivenham.

Defender Steve Bennett, who made his debut for the club in 1995 and was also assistant manager for a spell, made the trip from Devon and is impressed with the facilities at Cinder Lane.

“The setup has improved immensely,” he said.

“It is good to have a club like this for the young players. Fairford has always had good young players and to have a team that is flying in Hellenic Division One is fantastic.”

Former full-back and manager Mark Saunders said: “I think the club is looking very solid and any club that is run at this level is very difficult.

“I’m 53 now and I started here as a 16-year-old. The football has changed a lot, in my day it was more physical and now it is not.

“I think they have got a very strong squad and they deserve to be promoted.”

Elsewhere, Purton go to Tytherington Rocks this weekend whilst Shrivenham host Letcombe.