Witney & District Football Reports - Week 11

By Ant Barlow

Written by David Evans

Carterton come up smelling of roses thanks to Nick’s double

Premier Division

Nick Rose scored a double to help Carterton Town A jump into the top half of the premier division during this week’s fixtures.
There were goals for fellow team mates Will Smaldon and Greg Neath as Carterton came through as 4-2 winner’s vs Tower Hill. Tower battled bravely and scored two fine goals themselves with Adam Bolley and Murray Cox on the scoresheet but the result leaves them second bottom as we enter the final week of November’s fixtures.

The only team below Tower Hill are winless Spartan Rangers who fought valiantly in their defeat to FC Hollybush. Hollybush ran home 3-1 winners as Alan Rogers, Dan Bishop and Jonny Andrews scored one each to bump Hollybush up to second in the league. Matt Swiergon scored for Rangers but they remain bottom. Tower Hill and Spartan face each other next week in a mid-season six pointer for both sides.

There was a seven goal thriller in the only other fixture as Minster Lovell returned to winning form by beating Hailey 4-3. Minster hadn’t won in their last three league games but goals from Sam Wright, Rob Hipkin and a Rui Alves double gave Minster three points. Perry Tinson scored two as well, in response for Hailey, with Cameron Foster also on the scoresheet but Hailey fell one goal short of gaining a point.

Division One
Raffy Rice kept up his impressive record of scoring in every game in November so far by firing in a hat-trick to help Stonesfield return to the top of division one. He was the sole difference maker as Stonesfield beat Combe 3-0 in returning to the summit.

Chadlington facilitated Stonesfield’s return to top spot by dropping points away to Bletchington. Lee Woodward and Michael Taylor scored for Chadlington but Todd Parker-Hunt and Jamie Wilkins scored for the home side as it finished 2-2.

Chadlington actually dropped down to third as Moreton Rangers overcame Bampton United to jump into second spot. Chris Laurence scored for Bampton but it finished 2-1 as Cal Peters’ double meant victory for Moreton.

Dan Bott is another division one hat-trick hero as he popped up with 3 goals to help Middle Barton share the spoils in an 8 goal battle with Bourton Rovers.

Nathan Bott scored Middle Barton’s fourth but the points were shared as Ben McPhilimey, Adam Webley and a Mitch Thomason (2) all scored for Bourton.

Jack Busby 3rd Round
Minster Lovell Reserves pursuit of retaining their crown from last year moved one step closer as they battled past fellow division two side Hailey Reserves. Will Graham scored a double for Hailey but Luke Hessey scored a double of his own and Seb White made all the difference as Minster won 3-2 to reach the semi-finals.

There were no upsets to speak of in the other three quarter finals as all the division three sides managed to overcome division four opposition.Bletchington Reserves were the stand out winners as they put seven past Chadlington Reserves without reply. Michael Trafford scored a hat-trick to do most of the damage as Chris Fennel, Tom Lennox and Mason Connelly (2) joined in the goal fest.

There were also seven goals in the match between Tower Hill Reserves and Kingham Reserves but both sides managed to get on the scoresheet. Darius Hodael and Dan Alsworth scored for Kingham but Tower Hill won 5-2 thanks to Josh Carter, Lewis Scott, John Phillips, Jack Simpson and Dan Spencer.

Division Three high flyers Spartan Rangers Reserves completed the quarter final line up with a 2-0 victory away to Wootton Reserves. Arrun White’s brace was enough to put Spartan into the hat for the final four.

Division Two
Aston Reserves notched their first victory of the season as they beat Siege FC 3-1. Reece Wain, Matt Brown and Adam Izzard scored one each for Aston. Harry Gee scored the consolation for visiting Siege. Aston remaining bottom but now within one win of the three sides above them.

With the top two teams, Minster Lovell Reserves and Witney Wanderers, not playing league fixtures this week, there was a big opportunity for the chasing pack to close the gap to the leaders. The biggest fixture to impact on that situation was Kingham vs Brize Norton.

With Kingham sixth and Brize fourth a win for either side would propel them to within touching distance of the league leaders and it turned out to be the home side who prevailed. Ross Standing and Peter Moore scored for Brize but Dan Davies and a Gaz Price double saw Kingham home with a 3-2 victory. Kingham jumping into 3rd place as a result, just one point off the pace.

Ducklington missed the opportunity to join the league leaders on 13 points as they could only manage a draw against second bottom Charlbury Town Reserves. It finished 2-2 as Luckaz Jeziorski and Mitchell Faulkner scored for Charlbury. Josh Hartley and Adam Taylor responded for Ducklington to leave them two points off the leaders. Charlbury’s point puts them 3 points clear of bottom side Aston.

Division Three
If the theme of the weekend was for changes of leadership and for gaps to close to the chasing pack then division three was more than happy to follow suit at the weekend. Previous league leaders Spartan Rangers Reserves were busy advancing into the semi-finals of the Jack Busby cup so it was up to Wootton, FC Mills and Carterton Town B to ramp up the pressure in their absence.

Wootton started the day in fourth position, 9 points off the top but also with the knowledge that they have a couple of games in hand on the teams above them. And, they weren’t shy in taking full advantage of their chance as they brushed aside bottom side Witney Royals Reserves. Jamie Kennedy scored for Witney Royals but only served as a consolation as Lee Spencer scored two and there was one each for Karl Guschtscha and Michael Steers in Wootton’s 4-1 victory. Wootton are now just six points off Spartan with two games in hand.

FC Mills followed suit in identical fashion as they also won 4-1, against Chipping Norton Town. Warren Senior, Carlos Paiva and Ian Park (2) did all the damage leaving Josh Morgan to score Chippy’s consolation. Chippy drop to seventh after this result whilst Mills are now just three points off Spartan, in third place.

Carterton Town B visited Bourton Rovers Reserves knowing that just a point would put them top again and managed to secure three points to give themselves a little bit of breathing space instead. Dave Williams, Tyler Webster and Peter Okerke scored one each to give Town the three points. Ryan Newhook scored from the spot for Bourton. Town are now two points clear of Spartan with the top three sides halfway through their league campaigns.

Division Four
League wins are like buses for Eynsham SSSC Reserves. Wait ages for one to come along and then two come along straight after each other. It was seven of the best as they made short work of Spartan Rangers A. Keiran Clarke hit a four timer to get Eynsham well on their way and was brilliantly supported by Harry Buckingham (2) and Lewis Cooper as Eynsham won 7-0.

Ellis Whapshot scored a hat-trick of his own to help FC Ascott defeat Brize Norton Reserves. Chris McNeil scored Brize’s consolation with the final score 3-1.

With Kingham Reserves and Chadlington Reserves competing in the Jack Busby cup, Stonesfield Reserves were left to it at the top of division four and retook top spot as they beat Bampton United Reserves. Bampton ran them close with goals from Keiran Colley and James Haley but Stonesfield rallied to go one better. Tom Wilson, Will Barker and Shaun Kemp all got one each as Stonesfield won 3-2 to go three points clear.

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