Match Round-up for 2 May 2009

Trophy number three on the sideboard for Saxton
Report by Andy Wells

Saxton Rovers won the 2009 North Berks Charity Shield with three goals in seven minutes in a game which did not come to life until the second period of extra-time. Faringdon Town keeper Chris Webb kept his side in the game in a first half dominated by Rovers, saving well from Paul Churchouse and Chris Hooper. James Clarke’s ‘Rory Delap’ throw-ins kept the pressure on Faringdon, yet right at the end of the first half Town almost took the lead, when Matthew Pill lobbed Saxton keeper Darren Spayes but the ball drifted wide.

An evenly balanced second half produced few chances and even a male streaker failed to bring the game to life. Saxton were on top in the first period of extra-time with Webb beating out Danny Parry’s shot and saving a long range effort from Darren Ferguson.

One minute into the second extra period Saxton’s Benny Sutton unleashed an unstoppable shot from fully 30 yards, which flew into the top corner of the net to out Rovers 1 – 0 ahead. Three minutes later substitute Steve Pitson hit a great shot from the edge of the area to double the lead and Matty Shelton added another almost immediately to seal the game at 3 – 0.

The crowd had waited almost two hours for a goal and then three came along at once!
During the week a 2 – 1 win over Harwell Village clinched the League Championship for Rovers and they remain unbeaten this season.

Earlier in the afternoon however, Saxton Rovers Reserves could not match their senior team, as they lost 2 – 1 to Shrivenham ‘A’ in the Nairne Paul Cup Final at Abingdon United’s ground.

For the first 25 minutes Saxton had the upper hand but wasted two good opportunities to take the lead. Wayne Waldron raced on to an excellent pass but put his shot wide of the near post in the ninth minute and soon afterwards Shrivenham’s Jack Dodd had a shot blocked in response.

Waldron was guilty of missing an even better chance on 26 minutes when he held off the Shrivenham centre-half, moved the ball on to his left foot ten yards from goal but curled the ball wide of the far post.

The game settled down after this with honours even for the rest of the half, although Angelo Granito had to parry a strong drive from Shrivenham’s Matty Howe as the interval beckoned. This heralded a better second half for Shrivenham as they started to pass the ball better and twice Paul Sanders got free down the left to trouble the Rovers defence.

The deadlock was broken after 70 minutes as the Rovers, who had played less than 48 hours earlier, started to tire. Sanders again found space on the left but this time squeezed his shot past Granito and inside the far post to make it 1 – 0 to Shrivenham. Seven minutes later and Luke Coxhead powered a downward header into the Saxton net from twelve yards out to make it 2 – 0.

Picture © Andy Wells
Shrivenham's Luke Coxhead (partly hidden) comes in at a corner, to head the ball down and into the Saxton Rovers' net, to make it 2 - 0

Rovers put an extra man forward at this point and James Hawthorne was unlucky to see his header tipped over the bar by Sean Coxhead in the Shrivenham goal. With three minutes remaining Jamie Gaff broke clear to reduce the arrears with a low shot into the far corner but it was too late to rescue the game.

In League Division 1, with Saxton Rovers having clinched the title extremely comfortably, it is now all about who will be runners-up and who will be relegated. Harwell Village had the chance to go above Faringdon and into second place but they lost to a vital last minute goal by Steventon’s Stuart Coppock. After a goalless first half Grant Goodall netted for Harwell and Nathan Brown responded for the visitors. Coppock’s goal spelt relegation for Harwell International.

Drayton crashed to a 6 – 0 home defeat to Crowmarsh Gifford, with the visitors scoring through Paul Hannigan (2), Andy Allum (2), Laim Currell and Phil Hedges. This was Drayton’s fifth home defeat of the season, in contrast to a very good away record.

Ardington & Lockinge’s inconsistent season came to an end with a 4 – 3 home win over early title challengers Blewbury. Gareth Fenton grabbed all four goals for Ardington, to take his tally to 16 for the season while Bryn Ingram (2) and Steven Hedges replied for Blewbury.

In the remaining game Wootton & Dry Sandford scored through Tom Srawley and Josh Nicholls but they were held to a 2 – 2 draw by Lambourn Sports. Wootton will be the happier with a better season than last and they can still finish in the top three.

With Didcot Casuals losing 1 – 2 in midweek to Warborough & Shillingford and Marcham beating Benson 4 - 1, the Division 2 title and promotion title was blown wide open. Each team has one game left and any team can finish top.

The only game played on Saturday was at Benson A.F.C. and they emphatically won 5 – 0 against Lambourn Sports Reserves. Two Jim Oliver goals gave Benson a 2 – 0 interval lead, with Oliver completing his hat-trick after the break. Benson kept up the tempo and they increased the winning margin with goals from Joe Flower and Rob Lyon.

In Division 3, with Botley United losing to Shrivenham ‘A’ in midweek, Childrey United clinched promotion with a 3 – 1 home win against Wootton & Dry Sandford Reserves. Tom Weeks scored twice for Childrey with the other from Mike Cannings with Nick Wilson replying for Wootton.

Long Wittenham Athletic’s bid to take the second promotion spot was given another boost with a 1 – 0 win over Grove Rangers Reserves. They can also deny Childrey the title as the two teams meet each other at Childrey next Saturday. However, Long Wittenham have to play and win two tough matches during the week to stay on course.

Coleshill United Reserves needed a last minute finger-tip save by player-manager Michael Cobb as they recorded a 4 – 3 home win over Benson Lions. Earlier, Chris Bill (2), Ian Fawkes and Gary Fell had netted for Coleshill as both teams finished in mid-table.

In the big relegation battle Ardington & Lockinge Reserves lost 2 – 1 at home to Harwell International Reserves, completing a fine run which has seen the escape of Harwell International when they looked dead and buried a few weeks ago. Unfortunately, the loss meant the relegation of Ardington Reserves, along with neighbours Grove Reserves.

Only one game in Division Four, with Uffington United winning 4 – 3 against Stanford in the Vale and that completes the picture in that section, with Hanney United and Benson A.F.C. Reserves (who won 3 – 0 against rivals Stanford in midweek) taking the promotion places.

Nick Frost (2), Devan Bryan and Kevin Edwards scored for Uffington with Steve Holder, Jason Evans and Mike Van De Mortel on target for Stanford.

In Division Five, Stanford in the Vale Reserves won 5 – 1 at Kennington Reserves with Jamie Gregory (2), Max Kelly, Grzegorz Krawczyk and a rare John Sudworth goal bring up the nap for Stanford, who copy their seniors with a third place finish.

Finally, basement team Hagbourne United Reserves won 4 – 2 at home to the Division Five Champions Coleshill United ‘A’. The game was notable for a final appearance on the field of player-secretary Ian Stonham, who hangs up his boots after 44 years of playing for Coleshill United. He was made captain for the day and lasted an hour (a minute for each year of his age).

Ian wasn’t able to inspire a victory though, as Adam Excell (2), Mike McNulty and Russell Cheshire found the net for Hagbourne and Ryan Philips and Dean O’Hagan for Coleshill.