East Berkshire League
Premier Division
Tuesday 17th May 2022
Kick Off 19.00 Actual 19.01
Frontline 2 Singh Sabha Slough 4, attendance 44
7’ 1-0
17’ 1-1
27’ 2-1
45’+ 3, 2-2
57’ 2-3
75’ 2-4
@ Langley Academy, 3G Pitch
Langley Road
Langley
SL3 7EF
No Admission or Programme.
Having already been postponed on Friday, rearranged, then postponed again on Saturday, this one finally took place. A number of venues had been listed as hosting it, with the 3G cage here at Langley Academy finally settled upon, although the East Berkshire League had tweeted it was at Langley Grammar School, which also has a 3G pitch, and is not too far away, but once again it shows how poorly run this league is. Thankfully, Singh Sabha Slough had confirmed the correct address via Twitter.
This is a league renowned for teams failing to fulfil fixtures. The clubs who can’t be bothered to turn up are not punished, so it will never change, but it certainly has a detrimental effect on the teams going for the league title, as it is all well and good being awarded the three points (SSS have had walkovers awarded in their last 2 games as KS Gryf and Iver Heath couldn’t be bothered to play. Iver Heath also failed to play at Old Windsor on 23rd April), but there is no increase in the goal difference tally, and in this league, that can be the deciding factor. The usual suspects of Singh Sabha Slough, Britwell and Old Windsor once again battle it out at the top. Singh Sabha Slough, the reigning champions, came into this top of the table on 32 points (GD +31), with two to play. Britwell are second, also on 32 points (GD +28), but with three to play, as have third placed Old Windsor, who have 31 points (GD +19).
Frontline came into this 8th (third bottom) in the league table, but a win against the league leaders would see them climb to fifth. They had a full squad tonight and really had a go, contributing to a very entertaining match and Singh Sabha certainly had to work hard to take the three points. Frontline went ahead in the seventh minute, but the visitors levelled ten minutes later, with a 25 yarder that the ’keeper should really have saved. Frontline went back in front on twenty seven minutes, when a cross from wide on the right totally deceived the ’keeper and found the far corner. Singh Sabha drew level again in stoppage time at the end of the first half, coolly lobbing the ’keeper from the edge of the D. If only Frontline had held onto their lead heading into the break, then we might have had a different outcome. It wasn’t to be. Singh Sabha edged in front twelve minutes into the second half, the striker cutting back onto his left foot, before shooting into the bottom corner from 6 yards and they made it 2-4 with fifteen minutes left, when a through ball was taken wide of the ’keeper and finished from a tight angle.
The cage had no spectator area, but the three match officials had no problem with people standing inside the fence to watch.
