Skipper’s late strike completes fightback

HENLEY 1sts produced a thrilling comeback to edge past visitors BICESTER 1sts 4-3 in an end-to-end South Central Open Premier Division 2 clash last Saturday.

The visitors opened the scoring against the run of play through a deflected penalty corner. Geoff Joseph equalised with a sharp finish, following good work from Jonny Taylor who squared the ball after being played through one-on-one with the Bicester keeper.

The second half was similar to the first, and despite dominating much of the play, Henley were made to pay for defensive lapses, as the visitors scored two unanswered goals on the counter-attack.

Henley began to wrestle back control as captain Ed Foster pulled one back. The equaliser came after Rhys Joyce netted from the penalty spot.

With the game finely poised Henley found the breakthrough with just one minute left on the clock when Foster fired home his second goal of the match to secure the win.

HENLEY 2nds produced a dominant attacking display on the road as they swept aside BERKHAMSTED AND HEMEL HEMPSTEAD 1sts 9-4 in their Division 2 North encounter.

Henley started brightly with Chris Green opening the scoring with a neat finish. A lapse at the back handed the hosts a way back into the match, giving away a penalty flick that Berkhamsted converted to level the scores.

That setback only seemed to sharpen Henley’s resolve. A blistering spell of attacking hockey saw the visitors surge ahead, with captain Will Beaumont grabbing his first goal of the season as Henley raced to a commanding 4-1 lead.

Despite a brief response from the hosts, Henley maintained their momentum to lead 6-2 at half-time, thanks to a series of well-taken team goals. The second half was much of the same as the home side caught Henley cold from the restart, quickly narrowing the gap to 7-4.

Henley regained control and saw out the match by adding a further two goals late on.

HENLEY 4ths went down to a 4-1 Division 1 Thames defeat away against a strong READING 6ths side.

Despite travelling with just
11 players, Henley controlled much of the opening quarter, creating several promising chances, but were unable to find the finishing touch.

Reading made the visitors pay for their missed opportunities, taking the lead with a well-struck effort before adding a second before half-time.

The visitors rallied after the break, breaking forward to pull a goal back when a Farrow cross was helped on by a Biggs dummy to find Corke to calmly slot home.

As legs tired, Henley conceded a string of penalty corners and came under sustained pressure. Reading eventually broke through twice more in the final quarter to seal a 4-1 victory.

Despite playing the match with just 10 men, HENLEY 5ths ran out 3-1 winners in their Division 3 Thames clash at EASTCOTE 6ths. Henley started brightly with Charlie Tyler-Chamberlain putting in a standout, man-of-the-match display.

The visitors were unable to make their early dominance count despite going close several times, and just before half-time, an injury to defender Piers Edgell (coinciding with the arrival of the 11th man) forced him off the pitch for the remainder of the game, leaving Henley still a player short.

Soon after Eastcote went ahead with a well-taken opening goal.

Henley hit back with midfielder Nicholas Segrue surging into the attacking third and linking up with Noel Williams, who scored an equaliser on the stroke of half-time.

In the second half a well-worked set piece saw Segrue combine with Williams to deliver a pinpoint cross that Sam Austin converted for his first goal of the season.

Henley sealed the win courtesy of another surging run down the flank from Austin whose low cross was met by John Powell to finish clinically.