Week 16 Football Report

Here’s hoping that the weather gods didn’t read last week’s report and see fit to punish the fixture list. After a small boast that only four fixtures gave way to the weather in week 15, thirteen fell victim this week as the deluge continued. Still, plenty of drama in the nine that remained, even if it does make for a slightly shorter read this week.

Premier Division

Last week it was assumed that Charlbury probably broke some record for waiting 49 days to record back to back league victories this season. Well Stonesfield have blown that out of the water with a 2-0 victory over Milton this weekend. Due to cup adventures throughout the year, Stonesfield haven’t played a league fixture at all since September 17th. 119 days later they dispatched Milton on home soil. Sam Hart and Jordan Newman’s goals doing the damage to help Stonesfield up to sixth, but facing the prospect of 14 league fixtures during this half of the campaign.

Division One

It’s advantage RAF Brize Norton Social in the title race after they opened a small gap at the top of the league. It wasn’t all plain sailing for them as Chadlington gave them a scare, Alfie Peachey’s 30th minute strike followed up by Hans Korge’s goal ten minutes later put Chadlington well in the game. But it’s not the first time this season that Brize have faced adversity and they fought back well. Two goals from the maestro that is Dave Wanless, as well as goals for Luke Vincent and Zac Vale, gave Brize an eighth win of the season in a 4-2 win.

Heyford’s impressive unbeaten run continued as they held Carterton Reserves to their first draw of the season. Connor Duggan’s strike was cancelled out by Jay Revill’s strike as Carterton fell two points behind Brize ahead of their league encounter with each other next week.

A lightening fast start in both halves ensured that Hatherop swept aside Aston as they kept pace with the top two. It took just 76 seconds for Hatherop to take the lead, Charlie Bailey’s wicked cross from the left was met by an unmarked Patrick Cripps who fired a header past Josh Bint in the Aston goal. Bint was kept busy throughout the first half, with three good saves and a brilliant Brad Allen block keeping the deficit at one.
Whatever was said by the Hatherop management at half time did the trick as just fifteen seconds were on the clock as Charlie Bailey capitalised on the fact that the Aston defence hadn’t switched on, ran past two defenders to latch on to a loose forward ball and found the net courtesy of the far post.
It was 4-0 by the 57th minute as first Ollie Waite rifled home from 25 yards out and then Shaun Skinner powered a header home from a corner.
Ollie Hawkins did get one back for Aston in the 75th minute but Hatherop were comfortable for the remaining fifteen minutes and put the icing on the cake with further goals in the 87th and 89th minute courtesy of substitutes Daniel Olisun and Alex Anderson. They’re now four points off top spot, with a game in hand.

A huge second half comeback from Faringdon Town Development launched them off the bottom of the table and up to seventh. They were staring defeat in the face as they trailed 2-0 at half time. Elliot Major and Dan Townsend’s goals looked set to give Royals their third victory of the season. But instead Faringdon fought back. Morgan Watt’s goal halved the deficit and Andy Makepeace came off the bench to score two and give Faringdon their third win of the season instead.

Division Two

Just the one game in division two, where Cassington snatched a late victory to maintain their pursuit of the title. The travelled to 13th placed Milton, where a victory looked almost guaranteed, on paper. Instead a hard-fought ninety minutes ensued, with neither side able to break the deadlock. That was until the game ticked into injury time and Cassington were able to break Milton’s resolve. First Oliver Pollard scored in the 92nd minute before Josh Clarke secured the points three minutes later, on the brink of full time.

Division Three

Chadlington Reserves are the new leaders of division three after a thumping victory against Sherborne Harriers. The goals flowed early on, as Mark Ward put Chad ahead after just seven minutes, seven minutes later and their lead was doubled, Ethan Taylor picking up his first goal of the match. Sherborne got a bit more into the game and managed to stop Chad scoring for the next twenty five minutes but then Taylor grabbed his second, before Fin Beggin scored on the brink of half time to put them 4-0 up at the break.
Any designs on a Sherborne fightback were quickly quashed, Beggin got his second just five minutes into the second half. Sherborne compounded their own misery by turning the ball into their own net for Chad’s sixth and there was still time for Oliver Jordan to come off the bench and get a quickfire double of his own to round the scoring off at eight and send Chadlington to the top of the league.

Lee Spencer’s late winner sent Wootton second after a narrow win over Kingham Reserves. Jake Godfrey and Ellis Godin’s goals put Kingham well in the game and gave them hopes of at least a point but Spencer’s 30th minute strike kept Wootton in it. Jack Peas scored on the hour mark for Wootton before Spencer’s winner, five minutes from time, gave Wootton an eighth league win of the season.

FC Mills are up to third after a come-from-behind win against Stonesfield Reserves. A ten goal thriller at West Witney saw nine different goal scorers get in on the action. A back and forth encounter saw Mills and Stonesfield trade goals, before Stonesfield burst into a 4-2 lead. That forced Mills to chase the game more in the hunt for at least a point and a four goal blitz in the second half turned the game on it’s head to give Mills a 6-4 win. Stonesfield goal scorers were Jacob Oliver, Eden Rice, Mike Phipps and Daniel Taylor. Mills goal scorers were John Chapman, Dan Smith, Jamie Dalton, a goal off the bench for Dean Spivey and a brace for Dean Mays.