NBFL-News15

North Berks Football League Roundup

5^th December 2009

(Phil Annets)

The top two teams in North Berks Division One faced each other in a pulsating match in the third round of the Berks & Bucks Intermediate Cup. Faringdon Town ran out 4-3 winners after extra time thanks to a Peter Soane double and goals from Chris Benson and Richard Evans, knocking the holders out and maintaining their 100% record in all competitions. Paul Churchouse, Benny Sutton and Tom Aldsworth netted for Saxton Rovers. Elsewhere in the competition in was bad news all round for North Berks clubs as all three remaining teams lost home matches against other league opposition. Goals from Ben Sutton and JR Willis were not enough for Didcot Casuals who lost 3-2 to Aylesbury and District Premier League side Aylesbury Dynamos. AFC Wallingford went down 2-0 to Hellenic League Division One East leaders Wokingham and Embrooke whilst Drayton were unable to live with their more senior opponents losing 6-0 to South Midland League Division Two side Pitstone and Ivinghoe.

In Division One Crowmarsh Gifford won 4-2 at Harwell Village. Lee Fuller and Gareth Fenton registered for Harwell whilst Crowmarsh scored via an own goal, a Phil Hedges double and a goal from Liam Currell who later sustained a broken tibia and had to spend the night in the JR and will be out for 10 weeks or so. Wootton and Dry Sandford registered their third draw in four matches sharing the points and six goals with Lambourn Sports. George Casserly, Josh Nicholls and Paul Dew scored for Wootton whilst Lambourn scored through an Andy Bulloch strike and a Terry Wood brace.

In Division Two Harwell International returned to the top of the table following a 6-1 thrashing of Botley United. Mike Yardley netted four times along with Dave Bartlett and Jamie Clark, whilst Andy Tomkins netted the consolation for Botley. Childrey United maintained their push for top spot with a 4-2 home win over fourth placed Steventon. Tom Weeks scored two, along with goals from James Wilkins and Dan Hogan for the hosts. Tim Spearing and Andy Copper netted for Steventon. A Will Westell double, a Wes Coster penalty and a goal from Frankie Haines gave Marcham a comfortable 4-0 home win over East Hendred.

In Division Three the top of the table clash resulted in Hanney United thrashing Kintbury Rangers Reserves 5-1 thanks to two goals from Joe Ledbury and one apiece from James Bishop, Mike Davison and Chris Hunt. Kintbury Reserves remain top of the table as Drayton Reserves couldn’t follow up last week’s excellent victory at Hanney United, this week losing heavily 6-0 at Wootton and Dry Sandford Reserves for whom James Booker hit a hat-trick, Chris Shahab netted a double and Darren Webster converted a penalty. In the bottom of the table clash Sutton Courtenay won 3-2 at home to Harwell International Reserves. Mark Wheeler, Dale Parker and Seb Dixon scored for the hosts, Dan Humphries and Jon Greenough for the visitors.

Stanford-in-the-Vale maintained their grip of Division Four following an 8-0 stroll at Challow United who were third at start of play. Mike van de Mortel hit a treble, Dan Bradbury and Jason Evans each scored twice and Steve Holder also scored for the leaders. Jamie Dutton hit a four-timer as Didcot Casuals Reserves won 5-1 at Uffington United to move up to second in the table. Ben Higgins also scored whilst Matt Cramp registered for Uffington. Faringdon Town ‘A’ ran out 10-1 winners at bottom of the table Appleton Stars with Matt Curtis hitting the back of the net five times. Matt Bugden, Nick Wojcik, Brian Ferris, Lee Ruddle and Christian Ayres also scored whilst Liam Bough got the goal for Appleton.

In Division Five Didcot Casuals ‘A’ won a closely fought match 4-3 at promotion rivals Benson Lions Reserves thanks mainly to a Lewis Monaghan hat-trick along with a goal from Malcolm Curry. Andy Richardson, Barry Morris and Phil Goss all scored for the Lions. Uffington United Reserves also won 4-3 at Warborough and Shillingford Reserves for whom Tom Davies, Luke McKintosh and James Almond all scored. Steventon Reserves ran out 4-3 winners, too, at home to Hagbourne United Reserves. Tom Holloway hit a double along with goals from Dave Neal and Darren Pettifer for the hosts, whilst Dave Sheppard and Ben Jeffreys with two were on the scoresheet for the visitors. Long Wittenham Athletic Reserves won 3-1 at home to Sutton Courtenay Reserves thanks to goals from Ian Burton, Dan Osbourne and Oliver Saunders.

It was a mixed day for the two North Berks teams in the third round of the Oxfordshire FA John Fathers Shield. Alex Smallshaw grabbed four goals as Benson Lions won 6-3 at top of Banbury District and Lord Jersey League Division One side Highfield Old Boys. Rob Gray and Chris Armstrong also netted for Benson. Bampton Town, however, went down 5-3 at home to ABK Sports, leaders of the same league’s Premier Division.

In the third round of the North Berks League Cup Division Five side Stanford-in-the-Vale Reserves pushed their Division Four opponents Coleshill United Reserves all the way eventually losing 5-4 in extra time after the scores were level at three each after 90 minutes. Goals from Dean Grimes, Josh Vaughan, Richard Eltham and Kane Harding were not enough as James Bye with two, Dan Ballinger, Martin Chivers and James Glock all scored for the higher league team. In the second round of the Nairne Paul Trophy there was an upset as Division Four side East Hendred Reserves beat Division Two side Lambourn Sports Reserves 4-1 on penalties after the sides drew 1-1 after extra time.

In what was probably the match of the season so far, the North Berks League’s top two teams produced a thriller in the third round of the Berks & Bucks Intermediate Cup.

A calm atmosphere was generated following a well observed pre-match one minute silence in memory of Faringdon Town stalwart Gordon Bugden, but the pace picked up almost as soon as the whistle was blown for kick-off. Saxton seemed extremely eager to erase the memory of their recent Centenary Cup final defeat against the same opponents, and within two minutes went one nil up after Paul Churchouse collected a quickly taken throw in to blast an unstoppable shot from the edge of the area into the top left hand corner of the Faringdon goal.

Saxton dominated the opening quarter of an hour, a period which ended with two players involved in a slight altercation leading to both being booked. For the remainder of the half Saxton had many chances to double their lead, but Chris Webb in the Faringdon goal produced save after save to keep them at bay. And his efforts were rewarded with a late Faringdon equaliser following a dubiously awarded free kick half way inside the Saxton half. Peter Soane floated the ball to the far post where Dan Courtney rose above the defence to head the ball goalwards, resulting in Chris Benson bundling it home from close range.

Paul Churchouse (Saxton goalscorer) just fails to connect to a ball parried by Chris Webb in Faringdon goal

The second half started with a first minute exchange of shots from both teams, but then the game went through a 25 minute period of subdued play. Then in the 70^th minute an excellent move by Saxton involving Mike Beale and Paul Churchouse culminated in Benny Sutton scoring with a hard shot hit low past the keeper to make it two one. Ten minutes later the same player missed a glorious chance to settle the match when, unchallenged, he headed over a Danny Parry corner. Five minutes later recently introduced Faringdon substitute Richard Evans collected the ball just inside the Saxton half from Matt Pill, ran through the challenges of two defenders and shot low and hard past the keeper’s outstretched right hand, scoring the equaliser in-off the post.

Both sides had excellent chances to win the match in normal time. First Saxton’s Benny Sutton produced a match saving block in his own penalty area before his team mate Matt Shelton forced a great save from Webb. Deep into injury time it was the turn of Carl Wilkins in the Saxton goal to keep the scores level, producing a fine double save from Richard Evans and Peter Soane.

As extra time started it went very dark and the heavens opened. Saxton went close in the first couple of minutes before Peter Soane collected the ball on the left hand corner of the Saxton box, steadied himself and shot hard and low past Wilkins to make it three two to Faringdon. However, the lead lasted only three minutes as Matt Shelton’s in-swinging corner was expertly met by the incoming Tom Aldsworth to level the scores at three each.

Before the halfway point of extra time both sides were reduced to 10 men following second yellow card offences. With two fewer men on the pitch and the light fading fast both sides found plenty of opportunities to settle the match. With just 10 minutes remaining Richard Evans laid the ball into the path of Peter Soane who calmly netted past the advancing Saxton keeper. Even then there was still time for Webb in the Faringdon goal to make two more excellent saves to deny Saxton the chance to take the game to penalties, knocking the holders out of the cup and maintaining Faringdon’s 100% record in all competitions.