Aitchison’s fingertip save ensures share of spoils

ELLIS Howard headed home an equalising goal as WARGRAVE drew their Premier Division clash 2-2 at home to HENLEY TOWN last Saturday.

The game started with torrential rain that barely eased up all afternoon, making good football difficult on an already poor playing surface.

Henley were slow starting and gave a lacklustre display for most of the first period and were punished after 20 minutes when a clumsy challenge by Dan Tilley in the penalty area resulted in the referee awarding a spot kick to Wargrave.

Freddie Kirby gave keeper Isaac Aitchison no chance with a well placed penalty kick.

Neither side created any chances of note for the rest of the half but Town came out with renewed vigour after the interval and took control of the game with chances falling to skipper Luke Mulvaney and Tom Barker.

Charlie Douglas was pulled down just outside the area when clean through after being fouled by Wargrave defender Daniel Townson who picked up a yellow card.

More Henley pressure was rewarded with an equaliser on 60 minutes when Douglas headed home from 10 yards out after a good cross from fullback Adam Palmer.

Henley took the lead 10 minutes later when Pete Mulvaney, playing his first game of the season, kept his cool to slide the ball home with a neat left foot shot.

Douglas had a chance to seal the points when he rounded the Wargrave keeper but had his shot cleared off the goal line.

Pete Mulvaney also thought that he had scored his second but was flagged off side after the referee had a long discussion with the linesman.

Wargrave rallied in the last 10 minutes, also having a goal ruled out for offside before Ellis Howard powered home a header from a corner to make it 2-2.

Wargrave almost won the game in the last few minutes but Aitchison pulled off a fine save down to his left to tip a shot round the post.

In Division 1, GORING UNITED went down to a 4-1 defeat at home to league leaders READING YMCA RAPIDS, with all five goals coming in the second half. Matthew Hayden was on target for Goring.

In Division 2, HENLEY TOWN DEVELOPMENT ran out 3-2 winners away at TWYFORD AND RUSCOMBE.

The game started with lively energy and it was Twyford and Ruscombe who struck the first blow as the Town overcommitted themselves while attacking. Player manager Arran Finch left a space on the right wing which was taken advantage of with quick play leading to a one-on-one and the Ruscombe winger kept his composure to put his team ahead after 15 minutes. Henley were enjoying some good play on the left flank as Finch whipped in a cross which found Hugh Barklem just inside the box, and his audacious looping header left the keeper with no chance, to level the scores.

On 34 minutes Twyford’s centre midfielder found himself in the box and with a smart turn and snap shot managed to find the top corner of the Town net to put the home side 2-1 up.

Henley were on the front foot once again and with more joy down the left and good link-up play between Finch and Jackson Davies resulted in Davies sprinting into the box and being tripped with the referee blowing for a penalty. Finch stepped up and smashed the ball into the bottom right-hand corner to level the scores once more.

The momentum was with Henley and a corner from the right caught a deflection off a Twyford player sending the ball towards his own goal and the keeper pulling the ball back from the line but an unsighted referee didn’t give the goal.

Early in the second half, Town’s right back Alex Jackson launched a cross into the box, the ball was overhit but managed to drop into the goal at the back post but his effort was ruled out by the referee due to the ball going out of play earlier in the move.

With both teams fighting hard in the rain it was Town that took the lead for the first time in the game after Cam Roovis was played into the box and with a smart touch set himself nicely to rifle the ball into the roof of the net.

Henley defended their lead with some fine displays all over the pitch. Frustration kicked in for Twyford and Ruscombe and tempers flared, with their centre midfielder putting in a bad tackle on the Town’s Viktor Csjka resulting in two yellow cards and a red for the dissent that followed.