Week 31 Football Report

Midweek Games

Ted Young Senior Cup

It will be an all Premier Division contest for the Ted Young Senior Cup as the final two Division One sides were finally eliminated. RAF Brize Norton Social, who finished second in Division One, travelled to Spartan Rangers, the bottom side in the Premier Division with hopes of a place in the final four. Top scorer Mike Flavell did get Brize on the score sheet but a goal in either half won it for Spartan. Arun White’s 20th minute strike was followed by Henry Clarke’s goal just after the hour mark and Spartan held on to advance.

Division One champions Carterton FC Reserves were eliminated without kicking a ball. They forfeited their game against Enstone, who moved into their third semi-final of the season.

The quarter final line up was completed by Charlbury Town, who ended Stonesfield’s hopes of a possible league and cup double this season. Cian Fitzgerald and Martin Nutt’s goals were enough for the away side to advance. Raffy Rice’s eighth goal of the season not enough to see Stonesfield over the line.

Semi-final draw – ties to be played Thursday 18th May (18:30 kick off)

Charlbury vs Spartan Rangers (at Nine Acres Recreation Ground)
Enstone vs Hanborough (at Enstone Sports and Social Club)

Watts Junior Cup

A mix of Division One and Division Two will make up the final four of the Junior Cup.

At Cassington, it was the battle of the trophy winners as the Division Two champions hosted the Jack Busby cup winners. All the goals came in the first half, Aaron Pyke following up from his goal at the weekend to fire Cassington into the lead. But two goals in two minutes turned the tie on its head. Seb White’s 34th minute strike levelled the tie before Dan Reading put the hoops of Hailey into a lead which they would never surrender.

Ben Oates’ hat-trick put Eynsham into the final four, after a hard-fought victory over Kingham. Eynsham were two ahead at the break thanks to Oates before Malek Chok scored and Oates completed his hat-trick. Dylan Ellis and Mitch Faulkner scored in the second half for Kingham, to make a game of it, but it was too little too late and Eynsham are through.

In the all Division Two tie, Siege avenged their recent league defeat at the hands of Witney Royals Reserves to dump them out of the cup. Nathan Harris scored for Royals, who were looking to make it to their second semi-final of the season but a Jamie Kennedy brace and further goals from Jonny Dover and Danny Allsworth gave Siege a 4-1 win.

A solitary Alfie Peachey goal was enough to send Chadlington through, as they got past Fred Ford finalists Faringdon Town Development. The game looked destined for penalties until Peachey popped up in the 92nd minute to break Faringdon’s hearts.

Semi-final draw – ties to be played Wednesday 17th May (18:30 kick off)

Hailey Reserves vs Chadlington (at Hailey Recreation Ground)
Siege vs Eynsham (at Bampton Town Football Club)

Hughes Supplementary Cup

Eynsham Reserves impressive cup run continues as they dumped out Kingham Reserves in an eight-goal thriller. Chris Baldwin’s hat-trick was the catalyst for a positive night for Eynsham. Kingham did score three of their own but Jack Morgan and Morgan Oxendale hit the extras for Eynsham to put them in the hat for the next round

There was nothing to separate Faringdon A and FC Mills during the 90 minutes. An entertaining 3-3, which saw Mills fight back from a 3-0 half-time deficit, then went to extra time. Faringdon retook the lead but a last gasp equaliser paved the way for spot kicks. Mills upsetting their Division Two opponents in the battle from twelve yards as they advanced 4-1 on penalties.

Division Three leaders Yarnton A scored three themselves but also managed to keep a clean sheet to eliminate Carterton Town. John Boyes’ goal and Slavyan Atansov’s two goals keeping Yarnton on course for a potential double.

The final name in the draw is Aston Reserves who upset high-flying Wootton. Matt Foley, Jimmy Doherty and David Rabbich all scoring one each in the 3-1 win. Lee Spencer hit back for Wootton’s only reply.

Semi-final draw – ties to be played Tuesday 16th May (18:30 kick off)

Eynsham Reserves vs FC Mills (at Eynsham)
Yarnton A vs Aston Reserves (at Tackley Village Hall)

Division Two

Another late goal for Milton Res who condemned Freeland Reserves to defeat with an injury time goal from Dan Hooton. In a tightly contested affair that didn’t really test either keeper, a Milton corner agonisingly slipped through the keeper’s fingers in the melee in the box and there was Hooton at the far post and with his back to goal, managed to sweep the ball over his shoulder and past the defenders on the line with just one-minute left. Milton holding on for a valuable win means Freeland are still a point from safety with two games left.

Leafield bounced back from their heavy defeat at the weekend with a come-from-behind win against Brize Norton. Brize were quickly two up in the early evening sunshine and stayed ahead until half-time. Leafield pulled off a second half fightback to take the lead with three goals. The drama wasn’t finished as Leafield conceded a penalty but keeper James Hearn was equal to it and earned his side a well-deserved three points.

Division Three

Deer Park Rangers got their third win on the bounce with a demolition job on Leafield Reserves. Rangers were ahead inside the first minute, Andrew Rippin opening the scoring. It was 2-0 fifteen minutes later as Jamie Horne doubled their lead and Cullen Angus made it 3 on the half hour as they coasted into half-time. Rangers then scored the same amount in the second half, even if they were made to wait a little longer. Angus scoring his second in the 66th minute before a late Harry Edwards brace finished off the scoring in a comprehensive 6-0 win.

Saturday’s games

Division Three

Another week complete in the Witney and District and a third set of league champions crowned on Coronation Day in Great Britain. King Charles III’s coronation took just over two hours, three hours later Yarnton A’s comprehensive victory inside 90 minutes was enough to give them the Division Three title in their final game as they safely negotiated their way past Sherborne Harriers. Daniel Sanderson’s hat-trick made for a perfect afternoon for him and the team, Roger Moss got a double with Sean Dyer, George Greening, Ethan Penny and Michael Trafford all scoring one each in the 9-1 win. Josh Betteridge’s excellent season in front of goal continued with his 25th goal of the season, from the spot, to give Sherborne a consolation. But it was Yarnton’s day as they were presented with the league trophy at the end of the game to the delight of the travelling Yarnton faithful.

Sherborne’s heavy defeat put them at risk of finishing bottom, if Eynsham Reserves could grab only a point at home to Deer Park Rangers. Sadly for them, they suffered an even bigger defeat, a 12-1 reverse in their final game of their league campaign. Hat-trick hero Harry Edwards was bested by Cullen Angus’ four-timer. Jamie Horne wasn’t far behind in scoring two and Josh Carter, Ryan Scarrott and Ethan Phillips-Richardson all scored one more in the rout for Rangers’ 13th win of the season.

Premier Division

Hailey were in fine goal scoring form as they ensured that everything will be riding on their almighty league clash against Stonesfield on Tuesday night. Freddie Buckingham was also a four-time goal scorer as Hailey romped past bottom side Spartan Rangers. Luke Turner, Matt Knapton, Sam Wheeler, Jack Muttock and Jack Wood all scored one each to take Hailey up to nine goals for the afternoon. Arun White replied for Spartan but Hailey’s goal difference received a healthy boost which could play a critical part in deciding which way the title goes this season.

Division One

Only one game in Division One but a breath-taking encounter took place between Chadlington and Tower Hill. An early opening goal for Tower Hill from Will Hayes gave them a lead and for thirty minutes they dominated, all over the pitch, creating multiple chances but failing to capitalise. They were made to pay as Chadlington turned it around in quickfire fashion. First, their equaliser, in the 34th minute was a result of Tower’s own making, a flicked header was spinning wide but rather than pick it up, the keeper mis-kicked it clear, straight to a Chadlington player. The ball was played back into the box and an easy chance for Hans Korge to equalise. Two minutes later and Chadlington were ahead, excellent football played through the middle of the park released Josh Chadbund through and his low shot found the back of the net for a 2-1 lead which they held until half-time. Another rapid start from Tower brought them level though. Just seven minutes had expired when Lewis Bartlett slotted home to tie the scores. Chadlington remained undeterred though and carried on applying pressure. That paid off when Ethan Bennett restored their lead in the 64th minute, finding a little bit of time and space on the edge of the box, his low shot missed the tangle of legs in the box and zipped off the surface and into the bottom corner. Hans Korge doubled his tally and Chadlington’s lead just eight minutes later, his fine finish beating everyone. It looked as though Chadlington were destined for the points but a fightback from Tower in the last ten minutes stole a point. First Fenn Carey scored the best goal of the game. Cutting in on the edge of the box his flighted shot soared over the keeper’s head and into the far corner. Then Chris Olive showed all the composure in the world to fire a low volley past the outstretched hands of the keeper with two minutes left to bring it back to 4-4 and the points were shared.

Division Two

No title hangover for Cassington Rangers who celebrated receiving the Division Two trophy over at Eynsham with a 3-0 win. Ben Kibble got the champions off to a flyer, giving them the lead in the first minute. They had to wait until the second half to extend their lead, Will Morris’ 62nd minute goal putting them two ahead and Tyler Walker put the icing on the cake as his goal with two minutes to goal cemented victory before their own trophy presentation.

Brize Norton have pushed Cassington all the way this season and finished their season with a 5-2 victory over Milton Reserves. Joe Hatt’s brace along with Lee Litton, Matt Webster and Jacob Hambidge’s goals earned them all three points. Second half goals from Dan Olczyk and Dan Hooton’s put Milton in the contest but not enough to challenge for the points.

Siege got their preparations for the Junior Cup semi-finals well underway with a 12-0 rout of Spartan Reserves. Doubles for Jez Morgan, Alfie Minchin and Corey Toms were all bettered by Connor Morgan’s hat-trick. Danny Allsworth and Jonny Dover both scored for the second game running with Ryan Clish also getting in on the action for Siege’s biggest win of the season.