Oxfordshire Senior League

Premier Cup Semi Final

Saturday 22nd May 2021

Kick Off 17.00 Actual 16.59

Yarnton 0 Kennington Athletic 1, attendance 87

79’ 0-1

@ Littlemarsh Playing Fields

Green Lane

Yarnton

OX5 1QE

No Admission or Programme.

I never visited Yarnton when they played in the Hellenic League, although as it is 23 years since they dropped down, after having spent seven seasons at the higher level, then perhaps it’s not that surprising. With the late kick off here, due to the Reserves also being at home today, this was the perfect time to visit, especially as it was only 40 minutes drive north from my afternoon match at Goring United. Kennington were actually drawn at home in the tie, but due to unavailability of their ground it meant the match was switched to Yarnton.

It was a game of few chances, but Kennington were the better side for the majority. Yarnton did have a shot that hit the post with the ‘keeper well beaten, but the visitors had missed a number of good chances that should have seen them out of sight. It looked like we might be heading for extra time, until a Kennington striker nipped in front of a Yarnton defender and shot across the keeper into the far corner of the net, to win it for the visitors with eleven minutes left. They now face Launton Sports in the final on Bank Holiday Monday at Old Woodstock Town.

Thames Valley Premier League

Division 2

Saturday 22nd May 2021

Kick Off 14.00 Actual 14.01

Goring United 8 Twyford & Ruscombe 1, attendance 30

8’ 1-0

10’ 1-1

21’ 2-1

30’ 3-1

54’ 4-1

65’ 5-1

73’ 6-1

83’ 7-1

90’+ 3, 8-1

@ Sheepcot Field

Gatehampton Road

Goring

RG8 0EN

No Admission or Programme.

With the amount of teams now failing to fulfill fixtures, it was a case of finding a game with something on it, although even that can’t be enough to guarantee games will actually take place at the moment. The game wasn’t being played at their normal ground in Upper Red Cross Road, due to cricket taking over there, but was some 400 yards away, on the other side of the railway line, at a ground that is also home to the local tennis club. I wasn’t able to confirm the game was definitely going ahead, so set off more in hope than expectation. Goring did reply to my text that the game was indeed on…..but, three minutes into the match!

Goring were second in the league table, where any of the top five teams could still make the two promotion places. Twyford & Ruscombe were second from bottom, but a single win could see them climb two places, so relegation is certainly not guaranteed. An early free kick put Goring ahead, but a deflected shot brought the visitors level within two minutes. By halftime it was 3-1, as a header from a corner, and an angled shot across the ‘keeper put Goring in command and an early second half goal for the hosts put the points beyond doubt. Twyford & Ruscombe battled well throughout, but had nothing to offer in attack. Four more goals rounded off an emphatic 8-1 win for Goring, although it wasn’t as easy as the score line suggests.

East Berkshire League

Division 1

Wednesday 19th May 2021

Kick Off 18.00 Actual 18.13

Stoke Poges Saints 0 Old Windsor Reserves 4, attendance 19

31’ 0-1

55’ 0-2

57’ 0-3

61’ 0-4

@ Bells Hill Recreation Ground

Bells Hill

Stoke Poges

SL2 4EG

No Admission or Programme.

I have done very few games in this league, as in my experience it is not the most reliable for games actually taking place at this time of the season, especially midweek. No problems tonight though, as 2nd hosted 3rd in the league table. Old Windsor Reserves were well deserved winners. Having led 0-1 at the break, three goals in a six minute spell around the hour mark sealed a comfortable win, with the fourth goal being the pick of the bunch, when a run and cross from the right was headed in powerfully at the far post.

The win sees the two clubs swap places in the table. Old Windsor Reserves now trail leaders Iver Heath by 4 points, but do still have a game in hand. Unfortunately, as their first team are in the Premier Division, they will be unable to be promoted, even if they do go on to win the league.

Sevenoaks & District League

Division 1

Tuesday 18th May 2021

Kick Off 18.30 Actual 18.33

Ightham 2 Malgo 5, attendance 21

8’ 0-1

14’ 1-1

38’ 2-1

47’ 2-2

50’ 2-3

51’ 2-4

60’ 2-5

@ Ightham Recreation Ground

A25 Ightham by-Pass

Ightham

TN15 9AD

No Admission or Programme.

The first thing you notice when driving into the car park is the huge end to end slope on the pitch, rising away from you, then once pitch side, it is evident that it also dips in the middle, before rising again towards the touch lines. Along the right hand side the trees also hang over the pitch and the ball hit the branches a number of times during the match.

Tonight’s match was 5th versus 2nd in the league table. I had seen Malgo lose away at Swanley Oaks on Saturday, which was their first league defeat this season and subsequently they lost top spot to Westerham on goal difference, but this was a chance to retake it by winning this game in hand.

Malgo started well and could have scored twice before opening the scoring early on. Ightham responded with an equaliser and were certainly not going to make it easy for the visitors. Ightham scored with a shot that went in off the post to go in 2-1 up at the break and it could have been more, as they also had a goal ruled out for offside. Malgo made a blistering start to the second half, scoring three times in six minutes, which totally knocked the stuffing out of the hosts, before rounding off the scoring on the hour mark.

The win sees Malgo go three points clear of Westerham (who have a better goal difference of +2) at the top of the table, with both teams having two matches to play.

Thames Valley Premier League

Division 1

Monday 17th May 2021

Kick Off 18.00 Actual 18.05

Wingrave 6 F.C. Imaan Lions 4, attendance 35

2’ 1-0 (pen)

7’ 1-1 (pen)

18’ 1-2 (pen)

23’ 2-2

37’ 3-2

45’+ 1, 3-3

51’ 4-3

61’ 4-4 (pen)

86’ 5-4

90’ 6-4

@ Wargrave Recreation Ground (Kings Field)

Recreation Road

Wargrave

RG10 8BG

No Admission or Programme.

The match started and ended in dry conditions, but in between we had thunder, lightning and rain, which was heavy at times and left the pitch, which was in excellent condition, rather muddied in the goalmouths by the end. The Recreation Ground houses the car park, pavilion and main cricket pitch, then beyond the bowls club and pre-school buildings is Kings Field, which is where the football pitch is, along with a second cricket pitch.

This was 2nd versus 4th in the league table and it certainly didn’t disappoint as far as entertainment went. It was superb. Wargrave opened the scoring with a penalty, but Imaan Lions were awarded two themselves to go 1-2 up. The hosts once again edged in front only for the visitors to head in a stoppage time goal to make it 3-3 at the break. An own goal put Wargrave back in front, but it was level at 4-4 after an hour, when Kamran Khan completed a hattrick of penalties for the visitors. Unbelievably, the Referee then awarded a fifth penalty of the night, but Wargrave were unable to convert, with the striker hitting the outside of the post as he sent his shot wide of the target. Four minutes from time a free kick was headed in at the near post to put the hosts 5-4 ahead, before they made it 6-4 as the clock hit ninety minutes.

Sevenoaks & District League

Division 1

Saturday 15th May 2021

Kick Off 14.00 Actual 14.03

Swanley Oaks 2 Malgo 1, attendance 46

39’ 1-0

50’ 2-0

87’ 2-1

@ Swanley Recreation Ground

St. Mary’s Road

Swanley

BR8 7BU

No Admission or Programme.

It was under half an hour drive from Penshurst for the second part of the double for today. This was 4th versus 1st in the league table, with the visitors arriving here unbeaten, having won 10 and drawn 3 of their matches so far. Swanley Oaks would need an unlikely set of results to go their way to enable them to finish any higher than third.

Swanley Oaks broke the deadlock shortly before halftime, when an unstoppable shot from close range found the top corner of the net, giving the ‘keeper no chance at his near post. Having twice gone close, it was third time lucky, when a through ball put the striker clear and he lobbed the ‘keeper from the angle of the 18 yard box five minutes into the second half, which put the hosts 2-0 up. Malgo reduced the arrears with a looping header with three minutes left, but it was too late to save their unbeaten record.

Westerham now occupy first place in the league table, courtesy of a better goal difference of +5 over Malgo, but crucially Malgo have a game in hand.

Sevenoaks & District League

Division 2

Saturday 15th May 2021

Kick Off 11.00 Actual 11.01

Penshurst Park 2 Pembury 1, attendance 29

19’ 1-0

52’ 1-1 (pen)

79’ 2-1

@ Penshurst Place

Penshurst Road

Penshurst

TN11 8DG

No Admission or Programme.

There can’t be that many grounds that can match this for it’s setting. It is in the grounds of Penshurst Place & Gardens that was built in 1341. Over the years it has been the setting for many films and television programmes. As well as football, there is also a cricket pitch here. It was due to the cricket being scheduled to play at home today that meant the football kicked off early, although the cricket appeared to be off, even though there had only been a couple of brief rain showers.

The match was 1st versus 6th in the league table, Penshurst already crowned champions, whilst Pembury could still achieve second place. The visitors certainly gave them a run for their money and did enough to get at least a draw. Penshurst led at the break, but an early second half penalty levelled it up at 1-1. Penshurst got the winner eleven minutes from time and from here until the final whistle the game turned nasty. The Referee somehow missed a blatant shoulder charge by the home ‘keeper, that was as clear a penalty as you could see, which resulted in the Pembury striker receiving a red card for his vociferous reaction to the non decision. Luckily, the tackles that were made for the last nine minutes didn’t result in any serious injuries and we had a stand off between both sets of players following another bad tackle. All seemed amicable at the final whistle though.

Cheltenham League

Junior Charity Cup Semi Final

Friday 14th May 2021

Kick Off 18.30. On Time !

Hanley Swan 0 New Dales Vale 3, attendance 93

25’ 0-1

64’ 0-2

90’+ 2, 0-3

@ Bishop’s Cleeve F.C., Pitch 2

Kayte Lane

Bishop’s Cleeve

GL52 3PD

No Admission or Programme.

The Cheltenham League were playing both their Junior Charity Cup Semi Final matches at Bishop’s Cleeve F.C. tonight. In the other tie, played on the main ground and kicking off fifteen minutes later than our match, Whaddon United beat Shurdington Rovers 2-1.The attraction for us was that it was a rare chance to do a match on Pitch 2, which is beyond the far goal and running the opposite way to the main ground.

As we approached the pitch it was a surprise to see the groundsman forking the pitch and sweeping away standing water. It was nice and sunny and apparently there had been no rain today! In the end there were too many puddles to deal with, so they just got on with it. If it wasn’t for the fact that the season has been so badly affected by COVID-19, this probably wouldn’t have been played. In the end it wasn’t a problem and maybe even added to the entertainment. The other thing that we noticed, rather disappointingly, was that the once enclosed pitch is no longer railed off and the old dugouts have also gone, with just the concrete bases remaining.

Both teams play in Division 1 North of the league and were well matched. The only goal of the first half came following a poor clearance, punished with a first time shot from just outside the centre circle that sailed into the net. The all important second goal came just after the hour mark, shooting in from 16 yards and from there it was just too much for Hanley Swan to come back from and it was a break away goal in stoppage time that rounded off the scoring.

Cambridgeshire County League

Kershaw 30 Year Junior Cup Quarter Final

Thursday 13th May 2021

Kick Off 18.15. On Time !

Sawston Phoenix 2 Clare Town Reserves 2 (5-6 pens), attendance 53

13’ 0-1

17’ 0-2

55’ 1-2

79’ 2-2

@ Lynton Way Recreation Ground

Lynton Way

Sawston

CB22 3EA

No Admission or Programme.

Tonight’s match was Division 4A (4th in table and undefeated when league was stopped) versus Division 3A (3rd). As far as getting through to this stage of the cup is concerned, Sawston had won four and lost one match in their group, whilst Clare had four wins and two draws from theirs, so it looked like it would be a pretty even match up.

Despite Clare being 0-2 up at the break it was Sawston that had created the most chances. Sawston pulled a goal back early in the second half, through a substitute introduced at the start of the second half, but three minutes later they had a man sent off. They battled on superbly with 10 men though and it was the same substitute that levelled the scores at 2-2 to send the tie to penalties. A really good contest and the only downer on the night was that it rained for the entire match.

Oxfordshire Senior League

Premier Cup Group Match

Wednesday 12th May 2021

Kick Off 18.30 Actual 18.29

Bure Park 3 Launton Sports 3, attendance 65

15’ 0-1

29’ 0-2

48’ 1-2

52’ 1-3

79’ 2-3

83’ 3-3

@ Pingle Field

Old Place Yard

Bicester

OX26 6AU

No Admission or Programme.

Unfortunately, Bure Park had nothing to play for as far as qualifying for the semi finals went, as they had played an ineligible player in their previous two matches, resulting in the points gained being lost, therefore leaving them too far adrift of a top four finish. Launton are well in the mix though, having 2 wins and 2 draws from their opening four matches of a seven team group where each team plays the others just once.

It certainly wasn’t played like a match with nothing on it. Both teams contributed to a very entertaining game and despite Launton looking in control for the large majority of the match, two late goals gave Bure Park a well deserved draw in the end.