Laurie leaves visitors in tracks as hosts pass university challenge

HENLEY 1sts secured a much needed South Central Premier Division 1 victory at Jubilee Park last Saturday as they defeated visitors OXFORD UNIVERSITY 2-0.

The hosts were aided by the return Matt Riches, Jonny Taylor and Rhys Joyce.

Henley started the game strongly, creating chances at will. Harry Rechner and Riches both came close to opening the scoring after some link-up play involving Robbie Mortimer and Ed Foster. Riches suffered a nose bleed from being in the opposition D and had to be replaced.

On 25 minutes Henley took the lead through Phil Laurie who ran 80 metres after picking up the ball in his own 25 metre area, beating four defenders, and slamming the ball home.

The second half saw numerous chances for Henley, with Oxford University’s main chances arriving from penalty corners which were kept out by the defensive unit of Rowe-Elliott, Farthing, Herbert, Mortimer and Roseff.

With 10 minutes left on the clock, some determined work from Danny Sutherland and skipper Sam Heaver led to a turnover and a flowing counter attack down the left wing. Mortimer and Laurie exchanged passes, resulting in Harry Rechner finding himself in the D where he slammed the ball home to seal the victory.

HENLEY 2nds went down to a 1-0 defeat away at South Central Division 2 North league leaders SONNING 2nds.

The first half saw both teams create chances, with Henley showing resilience and determination to challenge their table-topping opponents.

A controversial moment saw Tim Herbert break through the Sonning defence and he appeared to be tripped by the advancing goalkeeper inside the circle but their appeals for a penalty stroke were waved away by the umpire.

The second half followed a similar pattern, with Henley matching Sonning stride for stride. Henley’s forwards worked tirelessly to unlock the hosts’ defence, while their backline put in a disciplined and composed display to frustrate Sonning.

In the dying minutes, Sonning earned a penalty corner. A powerful drag flick took an unfortunate deflection off a Henley defender’s stick, wrong-footing the goalkeeper and giving Sonning the decisive goal.

In South Central Division 4 North, HENLEY 3rds went down to a 5-1 defeat at high-flying MARLOW 4ths.

The home side started brightly but Henley defended well. In possession though, they were less secure, and it was giving the ball away cheaply in dangerous areas that cost them, particularly against the aggressive pressing that a well stocked subs bench enabled Marlow to maintain throughout the game.

The home side opened the scoring from one such turnover just inside the Henley half. A short corner followed soon after and the Henley defence was reduced after the umpire spotted an early step over the halfway line and the home side took full advantage to double their lead.

A third goal followed 10 minutes later after another misplaced pass just outside the Henley 25 was capitalised upon. With five minutes of the half remaining an altercation between a Marlow forward and Henley keeper Dave Bowyer led to both being sent to the sidelines for tw minutes, during which Marlow were able to take advantage of another turnover to play to lead 4-0 at half-time.

Marlow made it 5-0 10 minutes after the restart with a well worked attacking move but Henley were much more solid overall, defended manfully, and fought for every scrap going forwards, with the tireless JJ Cottam eventually netting one back with 10 minutes remaining, winning the ball just over the half way line and storming forward.

In South Central Division 1 Thames, HENLEY 4ths ran out 2-0 winners at home to READING 6ths.

Henley took the lead on 25 minutes when a press resulted in a poor back pass by a Reading defender which was pounced upon by Piers Edgell, who bundled the ball home past the stranded keeper.

Henley continued to play well at the start of the second half. Reading began the second half pressing high up the pitch and looking to pressure Henley’s defence but the veteran backline of Chris Proudfoot, Adam Warner and Jon Grocock, plus youngster, Tomas Chamberlain, marked tightly and managed to bypass the press with long balls, which turned defence into attack.

As the game wore on, Henley managed to put the Reading defence under increasing pressure and a well-worked move involving youngsters Zack Barrass and Dom Proudfoot resulted in a goal from close range by Ian Rechner, to make it 2-0.

Reading kept pushing to get back into the game, but Henley held out, in no small part thanks to young goalkeeper, Alex Woolfrey.

HENLEY 5ths ran out 2-1 winners away at WYCOMBE 5ths in their South Central Division 3 Thames clash.

The visitors started brightly and put together some crisp passing and driving runs by John Powell, Noel Williams and Duncan Gray up front. The build-up of pressure led to Henley being awarded a short corner which was expertly put away by Charlie Tyler-Chamberlain just before half-time.

In the second half Henley side picked up where they left off in the first half with some good communication between the back defenders of Dan Bradbury, Nick Shuttleworth and John Williams who passed well between themselves and the midfield which was being bossed by Ed Newbold, Nick Segrue and David Corke in right midfield who put in some strong runs up the side line.

Henley’s second goal resulted from a good series of four passes starting within their own half. Bradbury delivered a powerful crossfield pass to left-back Clint Botha, who then found Segrue in midfield. Segrue threaded the ball through to right wing and captain Sam Austin, who finished with precision.