MANAGER Paul Collicutt has demanded an improvement in discipline from Evesham United if they want to be successful.

The Robins are without four suspended players for Saturday’s visit of sixth-from-bottom Thatcham (3pm), which would be United’s first game since December 28 following postponements against Merthyr and Taunton.

Centre-half Alton Axton starts a three-game ban, while keeper Louie Barnfather, left-back and captain Richard Mansell and midfielder Neil Barnfield all serve one-game suspensions.

But keeper John Bateman (hip) is fit to return and new defensive signings Will Wellon and Dan Watkin, the latter from Hellenic League side Hook Norton, are both set for their debuts.

Collicutt said of the bans: “It’s not ideal.

“The discipline over the past year or so at Evesham hasn’t been the best and it’s something we have got to make a marked improvement on.

“We need to keep 11 players on the park but we haven’t done that since I have been here on two or three occasions. We have got too many lads getting booked.

“In their defence, I would say the standard of refereeing isn’t the best.”

Evesham, who are two places above Thatcham, hope to finally kick off 2014 and recover from the 6-2 Calor Southern League Division One South and West defeat at home to Wimborne.

The United boss added: “It’s been a frustrating time.

“I think the weather forecast is reasonable between now and the weekend.

“We trained on Tuesday and that was the first time we had done anything since December 28.

“It was a bit of a shock to the system but we are looking forward to playing on Saturday.

“The main thing is to get the game on and then I can worry about what I am going to do in terms of selection.”

The Robins have extended the loan of teenage midfielder Ed Williams from Cheltenham Town for another month.

  • Evesham’s match at Taunton will now be on Tuesday, February 18 (7.45pm).