NBFL-News6

North Berks Football League Roundup

3^rd October 2009

(Phil Annets)

All three Centenary Cup Regional Finals played today were settled by just the one goal. Division One Didcot Casuals won 1-0 away at 3^rd Division Hanney United thanks to a Lawrence Hoey first half strike, who also missed a penalty late on. Didcot will now play fellow 1^st Division side Saxton Rovers in the semi final following their 1-0 victory at 2^nd Division Marcham. This match was settled by an 83^rd minute own goal by the unfortunate Stuart Armstrong. 2^nd Division Long Wittenham Athletic claimed their third successive 1^st Division scalp of the competition as Andy Marriott’s headed goal was enough to give them a 1-0 win over Crowmarsh Gifford. Long Wittenham will play the winners of the last regional final between Faringdon Town and Stanford-in-the-Vale.

In Division One Harwell Village moved up to 3^rd place following an emphatic 6-1 victory at Lambourn Sports. Liam Corrigan, Dan Osbourne and Mike Pitchers all hit doubles for Harwell; Terry Wood scored the consolation for Lambourn. In the only other 1^st Division match Wootton and Dry Sandford won 1-0 at home to Drayton thanks to a Richard Chilvers strike.

In Division Two Childrey United’s perfect start was ended by table-topping Harwell International who won an entertaining game 3-1. Goals from their captain Tom Baptie, Lee Chapman and Wayne Robins gave Harwell a 3-0 lead. Tom Weekes scored late on for Childrey after having missed an earlier penalty. Botley United and Coleshill United shared the points in an exciting 2-2 draw. Keith Bruce and Dave Jerrams netted for Botley, Haydn Beer and Luke Regan for Coleshill. Benson AFC ran out 3-2 winners at Steventon in a game where the lead exchanged hands three times. Andy Buckland and Tom Holloway scored for the hosts whilst Andy Hayes, James Oliver and Adam Cowling netted for Benson. East Hendred secured their first win of the season easing to a 3-0 victory over Grove Rangers thanks to a goal from Steve Cuddon and two from Mike Farrelly.

In Division Three a Daniel Crane double ensured Kintbury Rangers Reserves stayed at the top of the table with a 2-1 victory at bottom placed Harwell International Reserves for whom Tom McGregor scored. Faringdon Town Reserves move up 2^nd place following their 7-0 thrashing of Benson AFC Reserves. Mike Marsh with two, Richard Evans, Lee Ruddle, Steve Pugh, Martyn Hathaway and Steve Aley were all on the scoresheet for Faringdon. In what was arguably the match of the day Harwell Village Reserves came back from 5-1 down at home to Sutton Courtenay to salvage an amazing 5-5 draw. Dan Cox scored four for Sutton with Seb Dixon netting the other, whilst Liam Jones with a brace and Des Healey with an unbelievable hat-trick of penalties netted for Harwell. Drayton Reserves drew 1-1 at home to Wootton and Dry Sandford Reserves with goals from Jack Lester and Yousif Shahab respectively.

In Division Four top of the table Coleshill United Reserves lost 3-0 at home to Stanford-in-the-Vale who maintained their 100% start to the season. Steve Holder, Jamie Hopgood and Mike van de Mortel all scored for Stanford. Didcot Casuals Reserves made it three successive victories winning 4-2 at Grove Rangers Reserves thanks to goals from Mark Smith and Luke Hammond, and two from Jamie Dutton. Richard Hale and Luke Wilkins scored for Grove. Faringdon Town ‘A’ won 2-1 at home to Marcham Reserves thanks to goals from Chris Kershaw and Matt Curtis. Appleton Star’s miserable start to life in the NBFL continued with a comprehensive 7-1 defeat at home to East Hendred Reserves. Andrew Morton’s goal for Appleton was superseded by a brace from both Shaun Rush and Ash Simmons, and a goal each from Nicky James, Pat Rush and Jason Fisher for East Hendred.

The top two in Division Five, Benson Lions Reserves and Uffington United Reserves played out the first goalless draw of the season in the NBFL. Two goals by Richard Eltham secured a 2-1 victory for Stanford-in-the-Vale Reserves at home to Steventon Reserves. Dave Neal replied for the visitors. Sutton Courtenay Reserves ran out 5-2 winners at home to Hanney United Reserves thanks to a hat-trick by James Ivey and goals from Edward Hunt and Jack Dingwall. Andrew Alder and Paul Drew netted for Hanney.

In the Berks and Bucks Junior Cup 1^st Round Lambourn Sports Reserves won 4-1 at Reading League Division Three side Compton with two goals from Steve Crame and one apiece from Stuart Pagliaroli and Sam Connors. 2^nd Division Saxton Rovers Reserves won 6-4 in a ten goal thriller at 4^th Division Challow United. Jason McDowall with two, James Bowsher and Eammon McGowran all scored in vain for the hosts.

In the Oxford FA John Fathers Shield 1^st Round an Alex Smallshaw double ensured Benson Lions exacted revenge over Oxford City Premier league side Nuffield Arms with a 2-1 victory, having gone out to the same side at the same stage in last year’s competition. Bampton Town cruised to a 6-1 victory at home to Witney and District Division One side Aston thanks mainly to a George Seacole hat-trick and a brace from Ian Steele.

North Berks Football League Centenary Cup
Wantage Division Regional Final (3^rd October, 2009)
Hanney United 0 Didcot Casuals 1

A strong cross pitch wind proved difficult for either side to dominate in this closely contested regional final of the North Berks Football League Centenary Cup. Didcot Casuals had the edge in the early stages and capitalised in the 30^th minute when Lawrence Hoey scored following a swift move down the right hand side.

In the second half Hanney were eager to get the equaliser and only excellent work by Didcot’s keeper, Garry Clark, kept them from achieving it. With five minutes to go Didcot had the chance to wrap up the match when Hanney’s skipper, Jason Maynard, was guilty of a rash challenge in the penalty box that resulted in him being yellow carded. Lawrence Hoey failed to take advantage when his penalty kick was saved.

In a frantic last five minutes Hanney threw everything at the Didcot goal but were unable to get the necessary breakthrough. Didcot Casuals won the match 1-0 and now go on to play Saxton Rovers in the Centenary Cup semi-final to be played at Abington Town’s ground on Thursday 15^th October.

North Berks Football League Division Two (3^rd October, 2009)
Childrey United 1 Harwell International 3
(Phil Annets, NBFL Media Relations Officer)

Childrey United’s perfect start to their NBFL Division Two campaign was ended by an impressive Harwell International side keen to maintain their place at the top of the table. Within the first two minutes Wayne Robins just headed over and Lee Chapman thumped the crossbar as Harwell applied early pressure. Lee Chapman saw a free kick fly just past the post before Childrey started to get in the game and they came close to scoring in the 17^th minute when Tom Weekes picked up the ball on the half way line, ran through a couple of defenders and lashed a low shot from 25 yards hitting the left hand upright.

It was Harwell, though, who took the lead in the 36^th minute when their captain Tom Baptie rose unchallenged to head a Tom Davies free kick over the Childrey keeper, Steve Vaux. Harwell doubled their lead in the 50^th minute when substitute Mike Yardley played the ball into the path of Lee Chapman who powered the ball past the advancing keeper. Further chances fell to both sides in this entertaining match and Harwell extended their lead to 3-0 when David Bartlett’s low cross from the right hand side was initially missed by Yardley but not by Wayne Robins who slid in at the far post to score.

Tom Baptie gets up to loop a header over the Childrey goalkeeper Stephen Vaux and put visitors Harwell International 1 - 0 in front.

In the 69^th minute Childrey’s Steve Doman laid the ball onto Steve Weaving who’s curling 25 yard shot produced an excellent one-handed flying save from the Harwell keeper, Craig Griffiths. In the 80^th minute just after Harwell’s Tom Ingram had hit the post, Childrey had a chance to pull a goal back when the referee blew for a penalty for handball. After a short delay Tom Weekes stepped up to the spot but blasted his shot hard against the crossbar. However, in the 86^th minute Weekes made amends and scored a consolation goal with a well taken turn and shot on the edge of the area.