Leadbetter-Hart goal enough to earn hosts derby bragging rights

HENLEY TOWN came away from READING YMCA’S Padworth ground with a well-earned Premier Division point last Saturday in a match that could have gone either way.

Town made a number of changes to the previous week’s starting line-up but started brightly with early chances falling to strikers Matt Forster and Harry Taylor.

YMCA worked their way into the game and had the better of possession for a period but it was the visitors that opened the scoring after 20 minutes when Taylor’s neat ball into the box found Tommy Fosh. He made no mistake driving his shot high into the top corner past keeper Kieran Lamb.

The home side continued to have the better of the game and created a number of good chances with Joe Roff coming closest when his angled shot came back off the post just before the break.

The second half started with both teams coming close with long-range efforts. YM equalised in the 50th minute when keeper Dan York gave away a penalty which was neatly side footed home by Luke Maze.

On the restart Henley immediately conceded possession down their left wing and an early cross into the area led to fullback Adam Palmer fouling Fernando Rodrigues and giving away another spot kick and picking up a yellow card in the process. Maze dispatched the penalty.

Town equalised five minutes later when good work down the right wing saw Forster beating a couple of players and his cross found Fosh who volleyed home from 10 yards out.

A pulsating derby saw hosts WOODCOTE run out 1-0 winners at home to GORING UNITED. Goring were quickest out of the blocks and threatened the Woodcote goal on several occasions, most notably with a header from a corner which hit an upright and then there was a good save from Ben Lallament at the feet of a Goring forward.

When Woodcote attacked, they found the Goring keeper in fine form, using his height to good effect to deal with crosses. A defining moment came in the 40th minute when Goring midfielder Tommy Edwards received two yellow cards in the space of a minute and was sent off.

The half ended with chances at both ends, the Goring effort being denied with a flying save from Lallament.

In the second half Woodcote’s numerical superiority proved a significant factor as Goring’s 10 players were forced to defend in numbers and try to play on the break.

Woodcote dominated possession until the 65th minute when a shot from Lewis Mills was parried by the keeper and striker Henry Leadbetter-Hart was first to the ball to convert from close range.

Almost immediately Woodcote centre-back Lewis Carrigan was sin-binned for a remark to the referee, but with the Goring players now showing signs of fatigue, they were unable to mount any serious attacks and the hosts continued to dominate for the remainder of the match without adding further goals.

Elsewhere in the division, WARGRAVE secured all three points in their home match with BURGHFIELD.

The only goal of the game came when Stuart Moss read a back pass and went around the keeper to score.

In Division 1, ROTHERFIELD UNITED ran out 2-0 winners at CHALFONT WASPS, with Rory Collier scoring for the visitors.

In Reserve Division 1, HENLEY TOWN DEVELOPMENT went down to a 4-0 defeat at home to BURGHFIELD RESERVES.

The first half proved difficult for Henley, as a shaky start saw them concede three goals before the break.

Henley created some exciting passages of play after the restart, with every player showing determination to turn the tide.

There were standout performances from Robbie Tanner, who battled tirelessly, and Dan Tilley, whose quality shone through even in tough moments. However, despite this the visitors netted once more to complete the scoreline.

In Division 2, HENLEY EXILES went down to a 3-1 defeat at READING CITY YOUTH.

The match got off to a slow start by both teams with little action in either box until the home team capitalised on a set-piece situation to take the lead.

Henley responded well but were struggling to fashion good opportunities to score in the first half and got caught out before the break to go 2-0 down.

It was a positive start to the second half and the Exiles continued to show good intent. Although it was Reading City that scored the next goal, leaving Henley with a huge mountain to climb.

Exiles kept plugging away and were rewarded with a consolation goal when Mike Dowling clipped a ball over the top for Sully Priestley to latch onto and fire low and hard into the bottom left corner.

In Division 3, GORING UNITED RESERVES ran out 3-2 winners at SB PHOENIX RESERVES. Robert Eaglesham, Michael Bridgeman and Theo Rosi were on target for the visitors.

ROTHERFIELD UNITED DEVELOPMENT secured all three points from their Division 4 clash at FINCHAMPSTEAD UNITED RESERVES. Rowan Prince, Mathew Ridley and Lanny Robb were on target for the visitors.