Shenley will restart their season when they travel to take on unbeaten Towcester Town Foxes this weekend.

Both Shenley and Towcester teams have won all their league games so far this season and sit first and second in the table respectively.

The Phantoms will be looking to extend their lead at the top of the table; a win will take them six points clear of second-placed Towcester. Meanwhile, a win for Towcester means that they will leapfrog Shenley into top spot.

New Covid-19 Guidance
The FA issued updated Covid-19 guidelines on the return of grassroots football in relation to the tier system on Tuesday 1st December.

They said: "Outdoor youth grassroots football is permitted across all three tiers but it is extremely important that clubs, players, coaches, parents, etc... continue to strictly follow both the UK Government's latest guidance on COVID-19 and respective bespoke guidance documents from The FA."

Since all our matches and training sessions are in tier 2 areas, there are no travel restrictions and spectators are permitted, although they must adhere to the rule of 6.

Towcester Town FC are requesting that all spectators register with NHS Track & Trace using the official QR codes.

Further information from the FA can be found here.

One Minute Silence
On Monday 30th November, Jo Small of City Colts sadly passed away.

She was a major part of the club for many years, holding various roles including treasurer and secretary. She also played a big part in organising summer tournaments.

She has overseen a number of talented players come through the age groups at City Colts, including Spurs player Dele Alli, who joined the club aged 8. He went on to win the league and cup double at U10s, before signing with MK Dons at 15 years old.

After he was picked for the England squad for Euro 2016, Jo commented: “It is great for them to see the determination and commitment Dele puts into his football which, with his incredible talent, are bringing him the success he deserves. All of us at City Colts FC are willing Dele and the rest of the England team to go all the way at the Euros – we’ll be cheering them on every step of the way.”

The league have requested that all clubs observe a minute's silence at the games this weekend.

The club's condolences and thoughts are with Jo's family.

The Opposition
Towcester Town FC is an FA Chartered Standard Community Club, with 24 teams spanning the ages of U7 through to adults. Supported by its coaches and managers, the club aims to bring excellent footballing opportunities to the town.

The U18s Foxes, managed by Frank Kinner and captained by Harvey Williams, have won all three of their league games so far this season, scoring eighteen goals.

Head to Head
Shenley, who were missing six players, lost 4-1 to Towcester in a pre-season friendly in September. Mohammed Edris scored a header in the second half to briefly level the scores.

These two sides also met twice last season. Towcester won 3-0 in a grading game in September 2019 before winning 5-2 in a league game last December. Tom Beevor and Ollie Tanner got on the scoresheet for the Phantoms that day.

Last Time Out
Towcester thrashed Pitstone & Ivinghoe Junior 7-1 on 25th October. Miles Eaton (2), Daniel Lovell (2), Ethan Shelby (2) and Archie Flintham all got on the scoresheet for the Foxes.

Shenley comfortably beat Twyford United 4-0 on 1st November. Ben Lynch, Morgan Pugh, Freddie Rogers and Joel Smith all scored for Shenley.

Team News
Kyle Armstrong and Freddie Rogers are self-isolating after discovering they had come into contact with somebody who has tested positive for Covid-19. They are expected to make their return to football at training on Friday 11th December.

Morgan Pugh misses out through injury, and Zakir Kassam is unavailable.

Ian Orr has selected a matchday squad of 15 players, opting to rest Joel Smith. He goes with the 4-1-3-2 formation, making four changes to the starting XI.

Aly Khimani starts in goal and Damon Smith moves to left-back. Kian Robinson replaces Zakir Kassam at right back. Rohan Sawjani (captain) and Mitchell Brook partner each other at centre back.

Myron Auko retains his place at CDM, joined by Finley Bodimeade, Jack Medley and Mohamed Edris in the midfield.

Ben Lynch and Tom Beevor start together up front.

Connor Dempsey, Adam Gillespie, Tyler Johnston and Ollie Tanner make up the bench.

Towcester have 20 players signed on this season. Theo Hill, who has scored four goals in four games, is suspended after receiving a red card.

Miles Eaton will be the danger man for the Foxes with seven goals in five appearances this season. Elsewhere, Coby Jones-Swanson has netted on four occasions while Cameron Dearden has three goals to his name.

Fighting Talk
Captain Rohan Sawjani: "I'm really looking forward to the game on Sunday; it will give us an opportunity to continue our good form before the second lockdown. They are a tough team with some good players so we will have to be at our best throughout the game."

Midfielder Jack Medley: "I think it’s a tough game to return with after a break. However, I believe that we have the form and confidence to continue our winning run. Come on the Phantoms!"

Officials
The referee will be appointed by Towcester Town FC. This is the first time this season that a club appointed referee has overseen a competitive game for the Phantoms.

Weather Forecast
Thick cloud and light winds are expected throughout the game. Temperatures are expected to be around 3°C. There is a low (11%) chance of rain and the visibility will be good throughout the match. [Source: BBC Weather]