North Greenford United 2 Flackwell Heath 5
Monday 8th May 2023
Combined Counties Premier Challenge Cup Final

A short jaunt to Windsor for a keenly anticipated cup final between North Greenford and Flackwell Heath. Both had made it through the semi finals, North Greenford beating runaway title winners Ascot United in a penalty shoot out and Flackwell Heath beating Holyport 2-0. The stage was set for an exciting 8th v 5th showdown in front of a decent sized crowd at Stag Meadow.

North Greenford raced out of the starting blocks and went ahead in the 2nd minute, Charlie Mitchell netting after good hold up play from Qasim Khan. 1-0

Flackwell responded well and nearly levelled when a corner was met by Mark Nisbet but he could only head over. North Greenford doubled their lead in the 10th minute from a corner won down the left flank. Mitchell hit an inswinging cross towards the near post where it was flicked on by Austin Schofield and Harry McCorkell dived in at the far post to head home. 0-2

Flackwell didn’t look flustered by the early United salvo and started to control the ball in the middle of the park and in the 20th minute they were back in it. Great work down the right with Kieran Jordan finding the overlapping run from Ryan Avery and his cut back from the byline was headed home magnificently by Reece Cameron. Game on! 2-1

Jack Shakespeare came close to an equaliser when he jinked past a Greenford defender into the box and fired a low shot goalwards but Sam House got down quickly to his left to tip the ball wide. The Heathens were now on top and pushing to level before the break, a free kick from Callum Mapley was hit under the wall and rebounded off a defender straight to Abdellah El-Jalaoui but he could only drag his effort wide of the target.
H-T: North Greenford United 2 Flackwell Heath 1

The second half started in a similar breathless manner to the first although this time it was Flackwell doing the pressing. They got their reward for an enterprising start just four minutes into the half, an Ayres free kick from the right was headed away only to the edge of the area, a pass was touched back by Nisbet to Mapley just outside the area and he made no mistake, rifling the ball into the net to level the scores. 2-2

Matthew Ayres had another chance minutes later when he found space in the Greenford box but put his effort just the wrong side of the post. The Heathens completed the comeback in the 66th minute. Simeon Beckford had a rush of blood to the head and received a yellow card for a rash reckless challenge on El-Jalaoui near the left corner flag and from the resulting free kick Flackwell took the lead. Sam House made two stunning reflex saves on the line but could only get a touch on the third as Mapley powered a header home. 2-3

North Greenford hit the self destruct button two minutes later as Simeon Beckford received a second yellow and then red for a crunching tackle in midfield that reduced them to ten.

In the 66th minute, a corner from the right from Ayres was pawed away by House only to Mapley who tried to lift it inti the top corner only to see it crash down off the crossbar, bounce up in the air where Colin Mugoya-Tabingwa won the first header then nodded home with his second. 2-4

Callum Mapley completed the scoring and his hat-trick in the 73rd minute, thundering in a free kick from the edge of the area. 2-5
F-T: North Greenford United 2 Flackwell Heath 5

A thoroughly entertaining game from start to finish, North Greenford started like a house on fire and could have easily been three up in the first 15 to 20 minutes. However credit to the Heathens whose heads never went down and after the early United onslaught it was all Flackwell. Their stunning success rate from set pieces played a major factor in that, very high quality corners and free kicks that the North Greenford defence just couldn’t cope with.

Congratualations to Flackwell Heath on a deserved cup victory and all the best to both teams in the future.

Berks County Development (Rovers) 2 Wraysbury Development 5
Saturday 13th May 2023
Thames Valley Premier League BTC Junior Cup Final

With a final train strike for this season wrecking my chances of getting to my scheduled game, it was instead an opportunity to take in another double header at the Rivermoor Stadium, home of Reading City. The first of these, a 1pm kick off cup final between two TVPL developmental sides from Berks County and Wraysbury in front of a decent crowd.

The game started as it would go on, at a furious pace. The first chance came just two minutes in, a quick break from Berks County with Nathan Oliver James finding the well timed run of Adam Fielding. He took the ball wide and picked out Josh Theobald who took the ball into the area, jinked past two defenders, before hitting his shot just wide of the post.

Wraysbury hit back and went ahead after a through ball found Jack Hughes in space inside the box and his first time shot was saved well at his near post by Vinny Lowe but he couldn’t keep hold of it which led to a goalmouth scramble where it looked like Lewis Hewitt got the final touch to send the ball over the line. 0-1

Wraysbury were starting to get on top and nearly increased their lead when Nick Baker let fly from distance but his effort was just too high. Next we nearly had a freak goal, Jack Hughes hit the ball on the volley from 25 yards but it skewed off the side of his foot and spiralled skywards causing the County keeper Lowe to backpedal as it looped goalwards and he was relieved to see it bounce just wide.

James and Fielding combined well again for Berks County on the break with the latter seeing his shot well blocked by Matt Lewis. Lewis went from hero to villain just moments later when he was adjudged to have made contact in the area giving County the chance to level from the spot. Jack Etteridge got a hand to Ben Miller’s penalty but couldn’t keep it out and the game was all square. 1-1

Wraysbury lifted themselves and struck back, Hewitt hitting a curler towards the top right corner but it went narrowly over. Nick Baker then produced a moment of brilliance as he picked up the ball just inside the County half, took the ball past Bailey Gandolfi and then smashed a 25 yarder into the top left hand corner to regain the lead from Wraysbury. A stunning effort. 1-2
H-T: Berks County Development 1 Wraysbury Development 2

We didn’t have to wait long for Wraysbury to put daylight between themselves and Berks County in the second half. Jack Deabill picked out the run of substitute Isaias De Leon Moreta down the right and his first time cross into the box was just behind Ryan Fraser but Deabill was there to stroke home at the far post. 1-3

Berks County carried on battling and Lucas Coe tried a curling effort from the edge of the area but Etteridge was there to tip the ball over. Wraysbury increased their lead when a corner from the right caused Lowe problems and he could only parry the ball into the net, the goal being given to Jack Hughes
1-4

County still plugged away and a great cross from Ben Braithwaite was headed goalwards by Adam Fielding but was blocked on the line with the rebound going just wide of the post. Next Sam Jennings was bundled over in the area and stepped up to take the spot kick himself, sending Lowe the wrong way and burying the ball into the bottom left corner. 1-5

Nick Baker had another chance following another great run down the right by the energetic Moreta but his shot tooka deflection and went narrowly wide. Jamie Fielding had come on as a substitute for Berks County and looked lively, shooting from distance which was well saved by Etteridge. From a Jamie Fielding corner Berks County got a consolation goal, Moreta headed away the initial cross but it fell to Ben Miller who volleyed home. 2-5

Wraysbury comfortably saw out the rest of the game to deservedly take the cup.
F-T: Berks County Development 2 Wraysbury Development 5

A cracking game to start off the double header. Berks County played some nice football throughout and always looked dangerous down the flanks with Ollie Mann, Josh Theobald and latterly Jamie Fielding impressing. Ben Miller also looked a good player with a decent touch and eye for a pass.

Wraysbury’s clinical finishing won the day though and congratulations to them on a fine season and taking the cup home with them. A quick word too about the officials for this game, an excellent performance all round from referee Sam Palmer and his team.

Reading YMCA 1 Finchampstead 1 (5-3 on pens)
Saturday 13th May 2023
Thames Valley Premier League Senior Cup Semi Final

And so onto the second match of the day’s double header, an intriguing clash between the teams finishing second and third behind all conquering Yateley United in the Thames Valley Premier League top division this season. YMCA had the edge over Finchampstead over their two league games this season, both played back in September with Reading winning 5-1 at Finchampstead and taking a 1-1 draw in the home match at The Cauldron.

Finchampstead started the better of the two sides but it was their opponents who struck with an early goal. Ben Cousins brought the ball out from defence and he knocked the ball on to Sam Tucker running towards the area. He found Alfie Stephens on the left who hit a lovely cross to the far post where Ed Gadd was in acres of space. His volley across the goal was blocked on the line but Tucker was there to pick up the pieces and stroke the ball into the net. 1-0

Finch battled back and an inswinging corner from the right was touched on at the near post, Kieran Lamb got down well to block and the ball was cleared but only to Joel Day on the edge of the area where his shot was well blocked. A Nick Payne free kick outside the left hand side of the area was touched on by Chris Lemm and seemed destined for the far corner but Lamb adjusted well, diving full length to pull off a fine save.

Finchampstead levelled when another Payne free kick from a central position 30 yards out picked out Day at the far post who headed it back across the six yard box. The ball somehow eluded two players and rolled to Adam Hills who made no mistake. 1-1

A keenly contested half with both teams playing good attacking football but both just failing to open up their opponents defence. Reading had one final chance in the first half following a good run from Andrej Homola but his shot from distance went straight into the arms of Mike Adams.
H-T: Reading YMCA 1 Finchampstead 1

The second half was a much quieter affair with chances few and far between. A great run down the right by Jake Ibbotson ended in a cross that took a touch from Casey Howe which took it over the stranded Adams and he was relieved to see the ball bounce off the top of the crossbar and away to safety.

A throw from the left was twice headed on into the YMCA area where it found it’s way to Day. He shifted it past the onrushing Lamb but could only direct his shot over the bar. Reading won a free kick just inside their half where Ethan Kitching tried an audacious lob which had Adams backpedalling and he was forced to tip it over.

Reading had the final clear chance of the game. Tucker won the ball back midway inside his own half and passed it to Ibbotson on halfway, he produced a lovely flick which left two Finch players trailing behind him before played a lovely ball into the path of Mo Adam. He took the ball into the area, cut back inside the defender and with just the keeper to beat tried for the near post but could only find the side netting. The semi final was to be settled on penalties.
F-T: Reading YMCA 1 Finchampstead 1

Reading YMCA took the penalty shoot-out 5-3 with five well taken penalties. A good competitive game between two well matched sides which was always going to be won and lost by fine margins and on this occasion Reading YMCA just came out on top thanks to the penalty shoot-out.