Hat-trick Green shines as Henley move top of table

HENLEY 1sts put on a fine display of controlled hockey to leap-frog South Central Open Premier Division 2 league leaders ABINGDON 1sts 7-0 into top spot last Saturday.

The hosts started the game strongly and won three early penalty corners that were ably defended by the Henley defensive unit, led by keeper Lee Rowe-Elliott and a save on the line by Andrew Seimann.

Five minutes into the second quarter, the tables had turned and Henley were in the ascendancy. The scoring was opened by Chris Green and quickly followed up with a second goal for Jonny Taylor against his former club.

The lead was doubled early in the second half when captain Ed Foster drag-flicked a penalty corner into the right side netting. Green once again found the net to make it 4-0, followed by Seimann, who beat a man outside the circle and chipped the ball over the onrushing keeper.

In the final quarter Henley put the game to bed when Foster received the ball at the back of the circle and slotted it home for his second and Henley’s seventh followed once again by Green. A last-minute penalty corner found the talisman lurking at the back post, where he calmly picked the ball and fired it home for his hat-trick.

HENLEY 2nds went down to a 2-1 defeat at home to OXFORD HAWKS 4ths in a competitive Division 2 North clash.

Oxford took the lead midway through the first half with a well-taken finish after a sharp counterattack. Henley responded after the break, equalising almost immediately with a neat move scored by Finn Young on his Henley debut.

The hosts continued to press, piling on the pressure and creating several chances but Oxford struck again midway through the second half to regain the lead.

Despite Henley’s control of possession toward the end of the game they couldn’t find a way past a resilient Oxford Hawks defence.

HENLEY 4ths lost their Cherwell Cup clash 2-1 at home against OXFORD on Sunday.

The competition — newly introduced across the Cherwell and Thames divisions — handed Henley an extra fixture, with a strong but reshuffled squad taking to the field.

Henley started brightly, moving the ball sharply and pressing with intent in the opening 10 minutes. Oxford soon asserted themselves, their powerful midfield unit cutting through Henley’s structure and forcing the hosts on to the back foot.

Despite the pressure, Henley defended resolutely. Returning goalkeeper Ed Hems put in a man-of-the-match display as he produced a string of acrobatic saves while the back three stood firm to keep Oxford at bay for much of the half.

Oxford eventually broke the deadlock after a scramble in the Henley D, but the hosts responded well.

A sharp break on the left saw Biggs drive forward and feed Merritt, who burst into the Oxford circle before sliding the ball across goal for Austin to finish calmly and level the scores at the break.

The second half continued in similar fashion, both sides enjoying spells of pressure. Henley threatened through open play and from penalty corners, but Oxford’s defence held firm. Eventually, sustained Oxford pressure told, with a well-executed aerial finish from a penalty corner routine giving the visitors the advantage.

Henley pushed late on but couldn’t find a way back, and Oxford closed out the match to take the win.