Cool Douglas bags Windsor winner

HENLEY TOWN came away with a well-deserved 2-1 Premier Division victory when they travelled to Stag Meadow to play WINDSOR AND ETON on Saturday.

The hosts usual large crowd was bolstered by the non-league weekend and attracted an attendance of 540.

Windsor as expected started the game quickly and although having the majority of possession in the first half were unable to create any clear cut opportunities with the Town defence of Rhys York, Walmsley, Palmer and Field being largely untroubled.

The game sprung to life in the second half as Henley upped the pace and opened the scoring in the 49th minute when Harri Douglas cut in from the left and placed a low shot past Armstrong in the Windsor goal.

The home side began to exert more pressure and equalised in the 57th minute when their captain, Ben Catt, headed goal-wards from a corner that was deflected in off Rhys York.

Henley, with skipper Luke Mulvaney and Sam Clark outstanding in midfield, started to create chances with Dan York shooting wide when clean through and Tom Barker hitting the crossbar after a well-worked corner.

Windsor pushed forward and despite some good play around the penalty area were restricted by good defending with keeper Isaac Aitchison calmly dealing with any aerial threat.

The game looked likely to be a draw until Charlie Douglas broke away in the 85th minute and coolly lifted the ball over Armstrong to win the match and give three well-earned points to the visitors and send their travelling supporters home happy.

Elsewhere in the premier division WARGRAVE moved up to second place in the table following a 3-1 win over FINCHAMPSTEAD.

An even first half saw few chances, the best one being when Stuart Moss hit the post but the score remained 0-0 at half time.

Wargrave started the second half very well after a few tactical tweaks and started to make things happen. They took the lead when Dan Townson headed home a Matt Laverty crossed free kick. Wargrave made it 2-0 shortly after when Sam Wild tucked home another Laverty crossed free kick.

The rest of the game was a battling affair and Finchampstead got one back when a long free kick from the half-way line caught the wind and lobbed the keeper.

Finchampstead pushed for an equalizer but Wargrave made it 3-1 in stoppage time as Sam Wild broke through and squared to Fred Kirby to slot home.

In Division 1 GORING UNITED suffered a 3-0 defeat at the hands of league leaders NEWBURY.

Meanwhile HENLEY TOWN DEVELOPMENT secured a thrilling 6-3 win at home in Division 2 against a rejuvenated COOKHAM DEAN side under new management.

It was a lively start to the game with chances either end, Town’s Matt Balchin producing a spectacular save after the Dean striker found himself one-on-one in only the 5th minute. A goal line clearance from Town skipper Alex Jackson followed shortly after, then it was Dean again attacking the Henley end, this time converting the early pressure into a goal with a tap in at the back post.

Henley started to wake up. Centre back Ethan Pearce played a neat one-two with left back Arran Finch, then worked his way up the pitch and crossed the ball into the Dean box where Henley’s Sema Kakembo took a touch and fired home to level the score.

Dean re-started the game and lofted a ball straight over the top of Town, with a slice of luck as a mis-controlled clearance from Alex Jackson dropped right in front of Dean’s striker who fired home to immediately re-take the lead and make it 2-1.

There was more action in the first half and it was Henley that levelled the score once again.

Player manager Finch took an in-swinging corner kick towards the near post and Sema smashed the ball home from close range for his second of the match on the 30- minute mark.

What was turning into a great game for the fans showed no sign of slowing up with two more goals before the half, Dean taking the lead for the third time in the match when a ball was crossed into the box and finished nicely by their striker.

With more work for Henley to do, it was up to Sema again to complete his hat-trick with a powerful strike from outside the box, Emil Rayfield with the assist after some tidy play in centre midfield.

Shortly into the second half, Sema put in a cross from the left to Cam Roovis to give Henley the lead for the first time in the game.

Jackson Davies quickly added another after outpacing the defender. The keeper managed to parry his first shot but Davies made no mistake with the follow-up, giving Henley control of the game. A corner late on for Henley was cleared to the edge of the box where Roovis collected the ball and wrapped up all three points with a long range effort and his 10th goal of the season.

In Division 3 bottom of the table GORING UNITED RESERVES were beaten 5-1 by HARCHESTER HAWKS.