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!

Thames Valley Premier League

Division 2

Tuesday 8th June 2021

Kick Off 18.45 Actual 18.52

Datchet 5 Windlesham & Chobham Reserves 1, attendance 48

23’ 1-0

25’ 2-0

35’ 3-0

47’ 4-0

77’ 5-0

85’ 5-1

@ Datchet Recreation Ground

Allen Way

off Green Lane

Datchet

SL3 9HR

No Admission or Programme.

This was 6th versus 10th (bottom) in the league table. The only thing riding on it was that W&C Reserves could still save themselves from relegation, but they would have to win their remaining four games and hope other results went their way, so very unlikely. Even more so when a glance at their results sees they have managed to pick up just five points this season (one of those since deducted by the league) with two 0-0 draws and just one win, although that was against Datchet!

Midway through the first half Datchet scored twice in three minutes and when a third was added before halftime it was game over. Within two minutes of the restart it was 4-0. W&C Reserves were reduced to ten men when they had a player sent off just after the hour mark and their ‘keeper was lucky he didn’t join him later on, picking up just a yellow card, when he rushed from his area and hacked down an oncoming forward who looked clean through on goal. The goal of the night came when a corner was volleyed in to put Datchet 5-0 up and W&C Reserves got a late consolation goal, which was well deserved, as they never gave up and looked a better side than their record for the season shows.

Thames Valley Premier League

Premier Division

Monday 7th June 2021

Kick Off 18.30 Actual 18.29

Marlow United 1 Finchampstead 3, attendance 55

9’ 0-1

14’ 0-2

32’ 0-3 (pen)

90’+ 6, 1-3

@ Gossmore Recreation Ground

Gossmore Lane

Marlow

SL7 1QF

No Admission or Programme.

Marlow United have returned to their ground here in Gossmore Lane, following a number of years away whilst flood defence work was carried out here. During that time they have played at Marlow F.C. and they also had a season at Loudwater Sports Club, where I saw them beat Wokingham & Emmbrook Reserves 5-1 on 23rd August 2017. Although the pitch here was nice and flat, the grass hadn’t been cut for weeks and it is probably the longest grass I have seen a game played on, and that includes pitches used in various Summer Leagues, which are as bad as it gets. Apparently the council had failed to turn up today to cut it. They still have two more home games scheduled here, so the pitch will certainly need cutting before that.

Finchampstead came here as league leaders, in a three way fight for the title with Berks County and Burghfield. Marlow United are third from bottom, but can’t finish any lower than this. I had seen the reverse fixture back in May, which Finchampstead won 4-1, where Marlow United battled well, but never looked like getting anything from the match. It was the same story tonight, as Finchampstead were 0-2 up inside fifteen minutes, before a twice taken penalty (the ‘keeper saved the first, but was off his line) just after the half hour mark saw the game made safe at 0-3. Marlow United managed a consolation goal with the last kick of the match.

Berks County also won tonight, but the title is getting nearer for Finchampstead, who are on 55 points (+ 29 goal difference) with three to play, followed by Berks County on 52 points (+ 29 GD) with two to play, with Burghfield in third place on 47 points (+ 18 GD) with 3 games left.

East Berkshire League

Premier Division

Saturday 5th June 2021

Kick Off 14.00 Actual 13.59

Britwell 2 Old Windsor 2 (Abandoned 90’+ 6), attendance 95

10’ 1-0

52’ 2-0

80’ 2-1 (pen)

90’+ 5, 2-2 (pen)

@ Britwell Community Centre

Long Furlong Drive

Britwell

SL2 2PH

No Admission or Programme.

This was the game of the day in the Premier Division as 1st hosted 2nd. Britwell were two points ahead of Old Windsor, with both teams having three matches left including this one. Singh Sabha Slough were also in the race for the title, as they have four to play and although they are two points behind Old Windsor, they still have to play the top two, so the title is very much within reach.

Britwell took an early, but Old Windsor shaded the first half and were unlucky to trail 1-0 at the break. When Britwell scored early in the second half to go 2-0 up, it looked all over for the visitors and when they had a man sent off with sixteen minutes left there certainly looked no way back. With ten minutes left Old Windsor were awarded a penalty, which was scored at the second time of asking, after the ‘keeper was judged to have come off his line when saving the first effort. Britwell seemed to panic, having been cruising to the three points and they looked nervous at the back. Five minutes into stoppage time the visitors were awarded another penalty. This time it was smashed straight down the middle to make it 2-2.

As the away team celebrated near to their dugout, the home ‘keeper ran across and punched the scorer, then as some sort of calm was being restored, a home ‘fan’ ran 30 yards from the home team dugout area and punched one of the visitors in the back of the head from behind, knocking him to the floor in the process. He attempted another four or five punches, but never actually managed to land any. At this point the Referee abandoned the match.

It will now be up to the league to decide what punishment Britwell will receive, as it was certainly their actions that brought the game to a halt. As it stands at the moment, they retain their two point lead over Old Windsor, but third placed Singh Sabha Slough won their game today to go within two points of the top themselves.

Army F.A.

Massey Trophy Division 1

Friday 4th June 2021

Kick Off 10.30. On Time !

Royal Logistic Corps 2 Royal Electrical Mechanical Engineers 4, attendance 11

4’ 0-1 (pen)

20’ 1-1

40’ 1-2

45’+ 2, 2-2

52’ 2-3

62’ 2-4

@ Tilsley Park Athletics Stadium

Dunmore Road

Abingdon

OX14 1PU

No Admission or Programme.

This was a good competitive match. R.E.M.E. were ahead twice in the first half, but R.L.C. pegged them back both times to go in 2-2 at the break. Two minutes into the second half both teams had a man sent off for fighting and it was R.E.M.E. that adapted better with the ten men. Within five minutes they were back in front and this time there was no comeback. It was 2-4 just after the hour mark and very few chances were created for the remainder of the game.

This was my second visit to Tilsley Park, as I had been here previously to watch rugby league. On 5th March 2017 I saw Oxford beat Hemel Stags 40-12 in Division 1 of the Rugby Football League.

East Berkshire League

Division 2

Wednesday 2nd June 2021

Kick Off 18.00 Actual 18.04

F.C. Baylis United 0 A.F.C. Cressex 9, attendance 30

2’ 0-1

5’ 0-2

15’ 0-3

40’ 0-4

47’ 0-5

50’ 0-6

65’ 0-7

71’ 0-8

73’ 0-9

@ Harvey Park

Tamar Way

Langley

SL3 8TA

No Admission or Programme.

This was 6th versus 1st in the league table, with Barton Rovers and Pundit F.C. in a three way battle for the title with A.F.C. Cressex. The game was over as a contest once the visitors raced into a 0-3 lead in the first fifteen minutes. Baylis did settle, but they never looked like they were capable of getting back into it. At least they managed to avoid a double figure defeat as A.F.C. Cressex kept pushing for the full ninety minutes, knowing the title could well go down to goal difference.

The win sees them extend their lead at the top to nine points, but second placed Barton Rovers have three games in hand, as do third placed Pundit F.C. who are a further two points adrift.

Aylesbury & District League

Premier Division

Tuesday 1st June 2021

Kick Off 18.30 Actual 18.25

Wendover 3 Ayletico 1, attendance 31

28’ 0-1

37’ 1-1

52’ 2-1

83’ 3-1

@ John Colet School

Wharf Road

Wendover

HP22 6HF

No Admission or Programme.

As good as yesterday’s match was, this was simply dreadful. The standard of play was awful considering the league positions of these two, although it is a greater indication of how poor this league is, rather than these being two of the better sides. Wendover were fourth in the league table, knowing a win tonight would seal that place. Ayletico on the other hand were second and if they hadn’t bottled it on Saturday, when they conceded a last minute equaliser to A.P.B.S. (which gave them the title) then a win here would have seen them as champions instead.

Both teams struggled with the bone hard pitch, although that can’t be blamed for a match of such poor quality. Neither side seemed interested. It was a horrible match to watch. Ayletico had already had a man sent off for picking up two yellow cards, before a mass brawl early in the second half saw Wendover have two players sent off (one was a substitute) and Ayletico one, but when the game restarted it was 10 v 10, so their red card was obviously for one of their substitutes who had run the full width of the pitch to get involved. Wendover went 2-1 up as the game got back underway and that was pretty much game over.

Dorset Senior League Cup Final

Monday 31st May 2021

Kick Off 13.00 Actual 12.58

Chickerell United 2 Sturminster Marshall 7, attendance 209

2’ 1-0

5’ 1-1

9’ 1-2

14’ 1-3

45’+ 2, 2-3

54’ 2-4

57’ 2-5

60’ 2-6

78’ 2-7

@ Milborne St. Andrew Sports Club

Lane End

Milborne St. Andrew

DT11 0JA

No Admission

£1 Programme, 4 pages, produced by Chickerell United

The Dorset Senior League Cup will only be played for this season as it was introduced to fill the void following the COVID-19 lockdown. The final was played here at the neutral venue in Milborne St. Andrew, and it has to be said, what a superb venue for the level of football it hosts. The pitch was immaculate and it was good to see two teams really go for it. As a neutral spectator you would be pushed to see a better game than this.

Most finals are cagey affairs, but this saw Chickerell ahead inside two minutes, then 1-3 down before we had played quarter of an hour. Sturminster Marshall had the better chances to increase their lead, but a goal in stoppage time saw Chickerell reduce the arrears to 2-3 at halftime. It set the game up perfectly for the second half. By the hour mark Sturminster Marshall had scored three more goals which meant there was to be no comeback and it became 2-7 when they scored their final goal twelve minutes from time.

The only downside on the day was that the Bank Holiday traffic meant the return journey to our meet point, close to Junction 11 of the M25, took just over an hour longer on the return than it had heading down to Dorset.

Cambridge University F.A.

Cuppers Final

Saturday 29th May 2021

Kick Off 18.00 On Time !

Fitzwilliam College 2 Homerton College 1, attendance 375

70’ 0-1

71’ 1-1

76’ 2-1

@ Fitzwilliam College Playing Field

93 Oxford Road

Cambridge

CB4 3PH

No Admission or Programme *

I don’t think I’ve ever been to a final in any competition before where one team played in 4 different designs of shirt (two without numbers on the back) plus another three players wearing plain t-shirts of various shades of blue. It made the fact that there were at least five different colours of socks on display seem irrelevant. Homerton College looked an absolute disgrace and made the game have a ‘Mickey Mouse’ feel to it. At least Fitzwilliam College took pride and wore complete matching kit.

The game itself was of really poor quality and looked destined to be heading for a goalless draw as neither team looked capable of scoring. Then suddenly the game came to life in a mad seven minute spell. Homerton went ahead with a rising shot into the far corner of the net with twenty minutes left, but within a minute Fitzwilliam had a shot blocked before the follow up found it’s way through the crowded box to level things up again. Five minutes later an angled shot went in off the far post to put Fitzwilliam 2-1 up. It was a relief that Homerton couldn’t find an equaliser as anything more than ninety minutes would have been a real endurance test.

*Fitzwilliam had produced a 12 page programme that was basically just pen pictures of their squad. No copies were available at the match though, as they were done for pre-order only.

Surrey Elite Intermediate League

League Cup Semi Final

Saturday 29th May 2021

Kick Off 13.00 Actual 13.16

Spartans Youth 1 Worcester Park 3, attendance 26

3’ 0-1

23’ 0-2

36’ 1-2

86’ 1-3

@ Carville Hall Park North

Lionel Road North

Brentford

TW8 9QT

No Admission or Programme.

Spartans Youth have been ground sharing at Northwood F.C. this season, an arrangement that will continue into next season, but since the reopening following the COVID-19 lockdown, they have been playing their matches back at their own ground. Carville Hall Park North is certainly not the easiest ground to visit by car, as far as parking is concerned. There is a very small car park, easily filled by players/officials, with parking in the road outside being pay by phone only. The nearest free street parking is about 12/13 minutes walk away. The ground is on the north side of the M4 from the new ground of Brentford F.C., which is only around 500 yards away, so the parking problem is only likely to get worse.

The traffic had been horrendous en route and on arrival at the ground it became apparent that the game would be starting late as two of the officials still hadn’t arrived. In the end we kicked off sixteen minutes late and started with a ‘home linesman’, filling in for the last one to arrive, who took over around 25 minutes into the game. By that time Worcester Park were 0-2 up and it could have been two or three more as they totally dominated the early exchanges. Spartans did pull it back to 1-2 before halftime, but they never looked like scoring a second goal. The pace dropped dramatically in the second half as both teams struggled with the heat. Worcester Park finally killed the game off four minutes from time, when a through ball saw the striker just beat the ‘keeper to the ball, nicking it past home and rolling it into an empty net, rounding off a well deserved 1-3 win.