Spot on Foster holds nerve to secure side share of the spoils

ED Foster netted a late equaliser to earn HENLEY 1sts a point in their South Central Open Premier Division 2 clash at WITNEY last Saturday.

The visitors dominated the early exchanges and put Witney on the back foot with two quick-fire goals. Henley looked sharp and dangerous, creating chances with pace and precision.

Witney gradually worked their way back into the game and by the end of the third quarter had turned the scoreline around, leading 3-2 after capitalising on a series of counterattacks.

With time running out, Henley earned a late penalty corner and captain Foster held his nerve to calmly slot home the equaliser.

In Division 2 North, HENLEY 2nds recorded their first win of the season as they defeated visitors STAINES 2nds
2-1.

From the first whistle, Henley looked sharp and organised, controlling possession and pressing high up the pitch. Their early dominance was rewarded midway through the first half when Chris Green found space inside the D and calmly slotted home.

The home side continued to threaten, creating several more chances, but Staines held firm to keep the deficit at one heading into the break.

The second half saw Henley maintain their intensity and composure. The midfield unit worked tirelessly to win back possession, while the defence looked solid and disciplined against Staines’ counterattacks.

The pressure eventually paid off as Green doubled Henley’s advantage with his second goal of the afternoon, a smart finish that gave the Staines goalkeeper no chance.

In Division 4 North, HENLEY 3rds picked up a point in their 2-2 draw away at AMERSHAM AND CHALFONT 4ths. Amersham pressed aggressively and kept Henley penned into their own half for much of the first half. Henley struggled to retain the ball under this pressure and rushed clearances were giving the home side plenty of opportunities to attack.

The hosts’ goal threat did not match the intensity of their press and through dogged defending by Grocock, Nicholson and Conway and some fine saves from Dave Bowyer, the scores remained level until the closing stages of the half when Amersham finally broke the deadlock with their skipper completing a swift passing move with a composed finish.

Moments later the home side extended their lead, capitalising on a turnover and breaking quickly to make it 2-0.

The second-half possession was similar to the first, with the home side again pressing forward, but Henley’s defence and midfield remained resolute.

Alex McDonald-Smith intercepted an errant pass and quickly set Tim Barrass free to get behind the defence and send the ball across to Gordon Merritt to drive home and make it 2-1 midway through the half.

The home side pushed forward again and as well as the short corner spree, Henley also endured several spells with 10 men as first keeper Dave Bowyer, then midfielders Roberts and Price were shown cards.

The home side could not capitalise on their numerical advantage.

With time running out Henley’s scrapping forwards once again got their rewards, with Tim Barrass robbing a fullback of possession, sending the ball inside for Merritt to strike across goal where Zac Barrass was on hand to tip it in for the equaliser.

HENLEY 4ths ran out 4-1 winners in their Division 1 Thames clash with visitors MARLOW 6ths.

Despite having a depleted squad, Henley looked assured at the start of the match as the back three marshalled the Marlow attacks with composure, calmly recycling possession and building play from deep.

The midfield trio of Davis, Gilligan and Proudfoot junior dictated the tempo, linking neatly with the forwards and threading incisive passes through the Marlow lines while Woolfrey junior also proved a constant threat.

The breakthrough came after sustained pressure in the Marlow D. A rebound fell kindly to Proudfoot junior, who showed control before driving the ball decisively past the keeper. Henley doubled their lead with a well-worked penalty corner, a slick move slipped right and returned across goal for Biggs to finish into the bottom corner.

Marlow briefly threatened a comeback early in the second half, capitalising on a rare lapse in concentration to pull one back. But any hopes of a fightback were short-lived as Henley regained their rhythm, with Davis adding a fine individual goal before Rechner capped off an excellent team display with a composed finish as Henley won their first match of the campaign.

HENLEY 5ths edged home a 2-1 Division 3 Thames win against visitors SONNING 5ths.

Henley’s early dominance paid off when Dom Proudfoot picked out John Powell on the left wing, who delivered a pinpoint ball across the goal. Sam Austin dragged a defender out of position, and Zac Viney slotted the ball on to the penalty spot for Simon Taylor to score at close range.

Despite the early lead the match remained evenly poised, with Taylor and Jonathan Williams anchoring the midfield. Williams stood out with several crucial interceptions to keep Sonning at bay. The visitors found a way through via a penalty corner, capitalising on a goalmouth scramble to level the score.

Henley responded with renewed intensity, launching wave after wave of attack and coming close on multiple occasions. Their persistence was rewarded in the dying moments of the first half when they earned a penalty corner. Nicholas Segrue stepped up and delivered a thunderous strike to restore Henley’s lead.

The second half saw end-to-end action, with both sides pressing for the next goal. Henley’s goalkeeper Ed Earl produced a standout save to preserve the advantage and secure the win.