Thames Valley Premier League
Division 1
Saturday 12th June 2021
Kick Off 14.00 Actual 14.01
Eldon Celtic 0 Wargrave 3, attendance 22
65’ 0-1
75’ 0-2
90’+ 6, 0-3
@ Henley Y.M.C.A.
Lawson Road
Henley-on-Thames
RG9 1NZ
No Admission or Programme.
Eldon Celtic normally play at Whitley Wood Recreation Ground in Reading, but they couldn’t guarantee that it would be available today, as there was a possibility that the council would have removed the goal posts, so the game was switched here just in case. Wargrave had actually scheduled a couple of their home matches here, but on both occasions the opposition pulled out as they couldn’t be bothered to put a team out, but no problems of that today.
The match was 4th versus 2nd in the league table. The top two places are already decided, but the battle for the title is still very much on. Reading Y.M.C.A. were five points ahead (3 to play) with Wargrave having a game in hand. They meet at Reading Y.M.C.A. in the last match of the season.
Eldon Celtic certainly pushed Wargrave all the way and it certainly wasn’t as clear cut as the 0-3 score line suggests. In fact, had Eldon Celtic scored one of three very good chances when it was still 0-0, then it could have been so different. The deadlock was finally broken twenty minutes into the second half, when a through ball was taken around the ‘keeper and coolly slotted in, then ten minutes later it was 0-2 when a challenge on the edge of the 18 yard box saw the ball fall kindly for a striker to sweep the ball into the far corner of the net. The third goal came with the last kick of the match.
With Reading Y.M.C.A. beating third placed F.C. Imaan Lions 5-1 today, it is as they were at the top. Wargrave must win away at Rotherfield United on Wednesday, then again at bottom of the table Cookham Dean Reserves next weekend (good chance CDR will forfeit as they have failed to play 4 matches already!) to take it to the last match, as Reading Y.M.C.A. have already been a awarded a walkover for next Saturday as Westwood Wanderers Reserves can’t be bothered to fulfill the fixture!
