Witney & District Football Reports - Week 22

Fighting Spirit in abundance as Premier Division bottom two both record wins

Premier Division
Kirtlington and Spartan Rangers started the weekend in the bottom two but both won on the same weekend for the first time this season to really mix up the relegation scrap at the bottom of the league.

Spartan became the first team to defeat Aston at home this season with a convincing 3-0 win away from home. Cody Davies, Josh Hookings and Donny Henderson-Sowerby all combined together to give Spartan the three points and put them within touching distance of the sides above them.

Kirtlington recorded their first back to back wins of the season to climb away from the bottom two. A 4-2 win over Tower Hill might not have been a result many would have predicted at the start of play but the huge three points takes Kirtlington from 9th to 7th in the league thanks to double from Alex Metcalfe. There were further goals from Ryan Moran and Nathan Kelly to complete the win. James and Jack Scott replied for Tower but it wasn't enough in the end to prevent defeat.

It was another bad weekend for Carterton Rangers as they shipped five for the second week in a row and lost two league places in the process. This time it was Hailey producing the five star performance as Nathan Kimber fired in a hat-trick to really get Hailey moving toward three points. Jack Wood and Sam Wheeler also got in on the action as Hailey got the three points which keeps them in touching distance of the top two.
Rangers slip below Kirtlington and Carterton Town A in the league and face a six pointer against Carterton Town next weekend.

FC Hollybush fought hard to claim the three points which keeps the pressure on Charlbury Town at the top of the league. A good 2-1 win at Minster Lovell moved them back within two points of the league leaders. Johnny Fletcher scored for Minster but Johnny Andrews and Josh Grant popped up with one each to take home the spoils.

Division One
Levi Steele bagged a four goal haul as he set Milton on the way to a 12-1 victory over Eynsham SSC. Stephen Pearce followed in wih a hat-trick of his own and there were further goals for Alex Ayres (2), Louis Breaks, Harry Nolan and Dan Hooton to complete the rout. Ryan Stockford scored Eynsham's scant consolation and they remain in the bottom two as a result.

Stonesfield extended their lead at the top of the league thanks to a 3-0 win over Combe. They find themselves 8 points clear thanks to a double from Raffy Rice and third from Carry Rice.

The gap to second extended thanks to Bampton United dishing out a 6-0 thrashing of second placed Moreton Rangers. Five players found the back of the net for the home team with solitary goals for Jordan Day, Jordan Ford, Lloyd Hancock and Connor O'Shea. Chris Laurence bagged a double to complete the scoring as Bampton stay seventh.

Middle Barton are now in a prime position to leapfrog Moreton into second place after they picked up three points at the weekend. James Kyberd and Tony Beckham scored one each for the victors and Dan Bott followed up with a double for the home side. The victory leaves them third, three points behind Moreton and with 2 games in hand. Moreton and Middle Barton face off against each other next week.

Chadlington and Bourton Rovers saw six goals in their game and Bourton were the eventual winners in an entertaining match. Alfie Peachey and Jordan Godfrey scored for Chadlington but they were eclipsed by a Mitch Tomason double and further goals by Lee Mosson and Ben McPhilimey as Bourton ran out 4-2 winners.

Division Two
In the battle of the chasing pack, Kingham hosted Charlbury Town Reserves. The prize for the winner was always going to be third spot in the league and a prime place to launch an assault on the two sides above them and Kingham used their home advantage to perfection to come out with a 2-0 win. Harry Notman followed on from his hat-trick last week with a single effort this week and Will Wall added a second to make sure of the points and third place.

Minster Lovell Reserves retook top spot from Hailey Reserves with victory over Witney Wanderers. Three goals and a clean sheet rounded off February in style for the Minster men. Frank Webb, Josh White and Seb White all scored once to send Minster top. They are one point clear of Hailey and five clear of Kingham. Minster and Kingham face off next week in a potential title deciding battle.

In the division's remaining fixture Siege FC bounced back from last week's defeat by beating Ducklington 3-1. Harvey Butler scored for Ducklington but Tom Dix, Will Griffiths and Adam Maskery made sure of the points for Siege.

Division Three
Carterton Town B find themselves one win away from a consecutive promotion and do so without kicking a ball as results went in their favour at the weekend as they enjoyed a week off.
Spartan Rangers Reserves dropping points in their fixture mean that Town are only three points away from a guaranteed top two finish and five points away from the title.
It was FC Mills who held Spartan to a 1-1 draw. Carlos Paiva scored for Mills but his strike was cancelled out by Arrun White. The result leaves Spartan second and FC Mills drop to fourth.

Bletchington continued their fine 2019 form with another impressive victory away to Tower Hill Reserves. It was five of the best from Bletchington as Tom Knox, Michael Trafford and Mason Connelly scored one each. Joe Brown finished the scoring for Bletchington with a double of his own. Ollie Squire hit back for Tower but it finished 5-1. Bletchington jump into third thanks to the win.

Lee Spencer banged in a hat-trick as Wootton also scored five to gain victory. They kept a clean sheet in the process as they dispatched Chipping Norton Town 5-0. Fraser Scott and Callum Davis-Allen also got on the scoresheet.

Bourton Rovers Reserves recorded their third straight 1-0 victory to take full advantage in all their February fixtures. Ollie Sammons was the solitary difference maker as Bourton saw the game out. Another impressive defensive performance made sure of the three points which move them even further away from the bottom two.

Division Four
The top five are separated by just six points as the season starts to hit the final quarter of league fixtures for this campaign.
Eynsham SSC Reserves did more than enough to throw their hat in the ring after a comprehensive 6-1 victory over bottom side FC Ascott Rangers. Gill Gabe scored for Rangers but Eynsham managed to put five names onto the scoresheet to complete the victory which keeps them fifth. Stephen Chappel, Shaun Rowbotham, Matt Gill, Mark Duval and Thomas Jones (2) all scored to keep Eynsham six points off the leaders.

The leaders are still Milton Reserves after a tight five goal game against FC Ascott. Jason Bufton and Robert Harrison both scored once for Ascott but Milton went one better thanks to Stephen Hocknell, Josh Edwards and Adrian Underhill. Milton now have a three point lead at the top of the table as Chadlington had no fixture. Milton and Chadlington face off against each other next week.

Joining Chadlington, just three points back, are Stonesfield Reserves who managed to win by the same score line. Their opponents were Bampton United Reserves, who travelled over to Stonesfield looking to strengthen their own league position. Goals from Steven Newman and Scott Haley would have given them hopes of coming away with something but Stonesfield won through thanks to a Liam Harris double and a Shaun Kemp goal. Stonesfield are now third, behind Chadlington on goal difference.

Brize Norton Reserves picked up the easiest three points in the division with a walk over victory against Spartan Rangers A. Brize jump two league places as a result of the win. Spartan remain in the bottom two.