Week 17 Match Reports

Premier Division

Jack Wood scored a hat-trick as Hailey recorded their biggest league win of the season to remain distantly involved in the title race. Due to cup involvements and postponed fixtures, Hailey are significantly behind the top two in terms of games played, but their 6-0 rout of second placed Hook Norton ensured they still controlled their own destiny as they pursue a third league title in a row. Sam Wheeler, Tom Gregory and Freddie Buckingham scored one each for the men in green and white hoops. It means Hailey are twelve points off top, but do have four games in hand.

With Hook Norton defeated, RAF Brize Norton moved six points clear at the top of the league thanks to a 4-1 win over bottom side Enstone Sports. Liam Harris scored for Enstone but top scorer Dave Wanless replied with his ninth goal of the season. Joe Waters also scored one with Jack Fletcher’s brace securing the points and an eighth win of the season for the league leaders. They face Hook Norton next week in a battle of the top two.

Junior Shield

Only one of the Junior Shield ties survived the deluge during the week. One of the three all W&D ties played out between Chadlington and Heyford Athletic, both from Division One. Their league encounter back in September required a late Alfie Peachey goal to separate the sides in an entertaining 3-2 win for Chadlington. This time the sides couldn’t be separated inside ninety minutes. Ethan Bennet’s goal was cancelled out by Joseph Flarry’s goal for Heyford. With no extra time in the County Cups this year, the game went straight to penalties where Heyford were significantly superior as they advanced into the last four with a 4-1 win in the spot kicks.

Division One

On the Saturday before Christmas, Ducklington and Combe faced off against each other in one of only two fixtures arranged. They played out a thrilling 2-2 draw, Luke Barton and Alex Michaelis scored for Combe as they looked to pinch top spot before Christmas. Ducklington weren’t to be denied though and had Charlie Fisher and David Pryse scored one each to secure a point, leaving Combe unbeaten in seven before the break and Ducklington unbeaten in five.
Fast forward to 2024 and Ducklington were soon unbeaten in six, and up to third, as they beat high flying Witney Royals for their sixth win of the season. Royals started fourth but did some of the damage themselves with a Tom Williams own goal. Charlie Fisher put the ball in the right net for a 2-0 win.

Hailey Reserves made a good start to 2024, recording a win in the opening game of the year, to claim back to back wins for the first time this season. It was a nine-goal thriller at Middletown against fellow strugglers Spartan Rangers, who would feel hard done by having scored four goals for the first time this season and still ending up on the wrong end of the scoreline. Che Tannock, Billy Haydon, Matt Swiergon and John O’Neill had Spartan hoping for their first win of the season. Hailey had other ideas though, Jake Smith, Seb White and Omar Semlali all scored one each. Moh Semlali scored a brace to snatch the points for Hailey and move them out of the relegation zone for the first time since the season started.

Another team scoring five for victory were Aston, although their afternoon was considerably easier than Hailey’s. Five different scorers combined to give Aston a 5-1 win. James Fleming, Connor Newcombe, Aaron Robins, Nick Rose and Charlie McCulloch all made their mark on the game by finding the net. Adam Drhourni was on hand to get Eynsham a consolation goal at least.

Hanborough Reserves and Cassington Rangers cancelled each other out entirely as their game produced a 0-0 stalemate. Both sides put the effort in but couldn’t really create any clear-cut chances to force either keeper into a meaningful save. That until the 90th minute when Hanborough burst through for a one on one with the Cassington keeper, but Chris Dowrick pulled off an instinctive save with his right hand and as the ball dribbled toward the line, Lewis Hooper was on hand to clear away the scraps to preserve the clean sheet.

Division Two

The top three all won, with hat-trick heroes for each team, to create some daylight between themselves and the chasing pack.

Third placed Wootton finally received their team of the month award for November. To celebrate, they returned to winning ways with a 7-3 victory over Bourton Rovers. Tyla Morgan took the headlines with a well taken hat-trick. Lee Spencer and Gary Townsend both scored one each, with Jamie McCuaig adding a brace for a resounding eleventh win of the season. Josh Hennessy, Harry Larner and Charlie Maudsley all replied for Bourton who finished the game with ten men.

Ben Saunders was CHQ’s substitute hat-trick maestro as they stormed past Chadlington Reserves. Aaron Bennett had Chadlington on the scoresheet as early as the 10th minute Chris Mills, Richard Stearn and Olly Taylor scored one each, plus Saunders heroics, gave CHQ a 6-1 win.

Moreton Rangers recorded the biggest win of the three with a 6-0 win over Freeland. Luke McDonagh scored once for the leaders, Callum Peters moved to eleven goals for the season with a brace. Lee Brooks maintained his amazing goal scoring form by hitting a hat-trick to move him to a mammoth 21 goals for the season so far.

Yarnton A also played just before Christmas, beating Faringdon Town Development 5-3. Slavyan Atanasov and Alastair Broome both scored twice, with Ethan Penney adding a fifth. Adam Rudman hit back for Faringdon with a double of his own, with Andrew Goodchild adding a third for defeated Fringdon.
This side if the Christmas break, Yarnton moved to record their fourth straight win to move up to fourth in the league, beating Witney Royals Reserves 5-2. Another double-double pushed them to victory with Henry Payne and Slavyan Atanasov (again) scoring twice each. Frederick Fletcher scored a double of his own in reply for Royals but a Freddie Collins strike sealed the points for Yarnton.

Kingham All Blacks secured just their second draw of the season with hard fought encounter with FC Mills. Dylan Ellis’ brace was enough for a point on the day with Ben Miles and James Morgan responding for Mills in a 2-2 draw.

Division Three

The top two both won in Division Three to create a bit of daylight at the top, with both Deer Park Rangers and Carterton Town holding games in hand over the group behind them as well.
Deer Park maintained their unbeaten start to the season with a 4-2 win over Stonesfield Reserves. Jayden Chapple and Jacob Oliver scored one each for the home team. Deer Park hit back with a Cullen Angus brace and two more goals from Thomas Stratton and Daniel Squires.

Second placed Carterton Town thrashed fourth placed Heyford Athletic to maintain their excellent run of form. James Harvey scored three in the 4-0 win, as Carterton took their recent record to seven wins in eight games. Guy Meredith added the fourth to put some gloss on the scoreline.

Ellis Godin’s brace earned Kingham Reserves a third win on the spin as they edged past Faringdon Town A. Justin Yates replied for second bottom Faringdon but couldn’t prevent the 2-1 reverse.

Bampton Reserves climbed back up to ninth with a 6-2 away victory over Sherborne Harriers. Alex Timms and Chris Laurence both scored twice for the visitors in the comprehensive win. Dan Paintin and Tom Cruttwell both scored one more each for Bampton. Adam Webley and Josh Betteridge got the hosts into the game but Bampton comfortably left with the points.