Witney & District Football Reports - Week 20

By Ant Barlow

Written by David Evans

Junior Shield Joy for Prem’s top two

John Fathers Junior Shield
Charlbury and FC Hollybush successfully negotiated the tough weekend conditions, as well as the battling qualities of lower league opposition, to reach the Junior Shield Semi-finals.

Top of the Premier Division Charlbury faced off against Bampton United, who sit seventh in Division One and had familiar faces to thank for their progression to the penultimate round. Tom Williams, Josh Hunt, Rhys Warner-Carter and Mark Goode all hit the net once as Charlbury notched four. Bampton hit back through Connor O'Shea and Chris Laurence but it finished 4-2 and Charlbury face Deddington Town in the next round.

FC Hollybush also overcame Division One opposition as they advanced beyond the quarter finals once again. They beat Milton 2-0 but they had to wait until the second half to break the deadlock. Dan Bishop and Dan Brearley both scoring in the second half, sending them through to the semis.

There they will battle it out against Chasewell Park as they knocked out Hailey. A tight game was always on the cards and so it proved with Chasewell Park scoring the only goal of the game inside 90 minutes to avoid extra time and advance to face FC Hollybush.

Ted Young Senior Cup
Spartan Rangers forgot their recent run of bad results to advance into the quarter finals of the Ted Young Senior Cup with a decent victory over Minster Lovell.

Donovan Henderson-Sowerby proved a difference maker as he notched a double for the home side. He was joined on the scoresheet by David Pryse as Spartan advanced before extra time was required. Ed Dunne responded for visiting Minster but it finished 3-1.

Extra time was required in the battle between Aston and Carterton Town A. Ryan Colleton scored for Aston but Luke Davenport cancelled it out to send it beyond 90 minutes. It remained tight throughout but Nick Angus popped up with the winner to send Aston into the next round.

Premier Division
The only scheduled Premier Division fixture lost out to the weather. Tower Hill vs Kirtlington will be rescheduled.

Watts Junior Cup
Two of Division One's in form teams have hat-trick heroes to thank as Middle Barton and Stonesfield both avoided potential upsets against Division Two sides in the Junior Cup.

Dan Bott scored goals 17, 18 and 19 of the season as he helped Middle Barton overcome high flying Charlbury Town Reserves. Lewis Fowler also scored to make it four for the home team. Michael Hayes scored the consolation for Charlbury in the 4-1 defeat.

Darren Tasker scored for Hailey Reserves as they aimed to upset Division One league leaders Stonesfield. But Reece Bayliss got involved in the hat-trick action as he fired the Division One side into the next round. Raffy Rice popped up with goal number 15 of the season as well to complete the scoring in another 4-1 victory.

There was one upset as Division Two's Kingham defeated Division One Combe. Ethan Penney scored for Combe but goals from Harry Noteman and Dan Lay put the lower division side through to round 3.

In the all Division One battle 4th placed Chadlington succumbed to a home defeat against 9th place Eynsham SSC. Jason Blackman and John Ayres scored one each to put Eynsham's name in the draw for the next round with the 2-0 win.

Bourton Rovers literally walked into round three. Ducklington forfeited the game with no side available giving Bourton the walk over win.

Division Two
Brize Norton clawed their way back to within touching distance of the teams above them with a hard fought win over Witney Wanderers. It finished 4-2 by the end of the match with Haydn Parker, Steve Marshall, Adam Davis and Peter Moore on the scoresheet for Brize. Telmo Fernandez and Josh Walkington scored the consolations for Wanderers but Brize are now within three points of the three sides above them.

Division Three
Spartan Rangers Reserves returned to winning ways in style with a thumping 8-0 victory over Chipping Norton Town. Peter Jenkins, Daz Craig and Scott Mason all bagged a brace as Mickey Hole and Ben Hardcastle followed up with solitary goals of their own. Spartan cemented their standing in second place whilst Chipping Norton remain second bottom.

Tower Hill Reserves remain locked into the fight at the bottom after they were defeated by Bourton Rovers Reserves. A single Lee Mosson goal was enough to separate the sides as Tower Hill remain eighth, now seven points behind seventh placed Bourton Rovers Reserves.

It continues to be a miserable 2019 for FC Mills as they remain pointless in the league since the turn of the year. Their bad luck and poor form continued in their game against Bletchington Reserves as they lost 4-1 this time around. Danny Evans, Michael Trafford, Mason Connelly and Tom Knox all scored one each for Bletchington who remain undefeated since November. Dean Spivey responded for Mills but couldn't stop the 4-1 reverse.

Division Four
Kingham Reserves took full advantage of a week off for the other top sides as they jumped into second place in Division Four with victory over FC Ascott. They didn't have everything their own way as Ben Harris and Jay Whelan scored one each for stubborn Ascott but Kingham came through, 4-2, thanks to goals from Ian Widdows, Liam Barnes and an Adrian Williams brace.

FC Ascott Rangers remain rooted to the bottom of the table after tasting defeat for the 12th time this year. Eynsham SSC Reserves were the beneficiaries as they can through with a 3-1 win. They jumped into fifth place thanks to goals from Chris Adams, Ben Partlett and Tom Morgan. Rangers replied through Tom Purchase. Eynsham are now just six points off top spot as things continue to remain tight at the top.

A Lee Litton goal was enough for three points for Brize Norton Reserves in their long trip away to face Wootton Reserves. The victory puts them six points clear of the bottom two and with games in hand over the teams above them as well.

Where next?

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