ALL FOUR Malmesbury Vics players red-carded in the controversial Boxing Day clash against Oldland Abbotonians will feature in tonight’s Corinium Stadium friendly with Cirencester Town (7.30pm kick-off, free entry).

Ed Wilkins, Josh Hughes, George Peare and Tim Bond – the latter pair former Cirencester players – are currently sidelined serving bans but will take the opportunity to ‘keep ticking over’ in the game.

Vics manager Kev Bridgeman was delighted when Ciren boss Charlie Griffin rang to offer him a friendly. And Alan Griffin has been a player-manager himself at the Flying Monk Ground.

“I went to school with Alan and Charlie was a couple of years above us so I’ve known them for years,” said Bridgeman.

“Our pitch is very heavy at the moment and all the astros around Malmesbury seem to be booked up so it will great to play on a good surface.

“It gives the suspended lads a chance to keep ticking over and me to work on shape and try out different formations. I don’t care about the score.”

Bridgeman side is now in seventh spot in the Toolstation Western League First Division, 15 points adrift of third-placed Cheddar and he has now given up on a top-three spot after an excellent start to the season.

“Clear leaders Wellington are unable to take promotion so it may be the second and third sides who go up,” he said.

“Even so we are probably too far away to make an impact on the top three now.

“We made a flying start to the season and exceeded all expectations but we have just hit a dodgy patch and become inconsistent. We starting games too slowly, why I don’t know.

“We were 2-0 down against Devizes in the first half before getting a draw and 5-0 down at the break against Warminster on Saturday before scoring the only goal of the second half.

“That is the first time all season we have been opened up, but then we did have six first team regulars missing through suspension.

“Former England Colleges player Tom Luce, who is in the same friendship group as George and Tim, has joined us from Bibury.

“Our ex-player Paul Bains has said he would help us out while we have so many suspended. He was due to play against Warminster but it was his daughter’s birthday.

“And we are expecting goalkeeper Kent Kauppinen to come over for the run-in after he finishes his season with Highworth Town – as an outfield player.

“Highworth have just eight more league games and we have 16.

“Kent plays Chippenham & District Sunday League football for one of my management team, Trevor Rawlings, at Somerford FC and scored a hat-trick from centre midfield last weekend.”