Caversham United v FC Bracknell
East Berkshire Football League Division One
After massively overspending on my Eastbourne Easter weekend, I thought it prudent to stay local for this weekend. A return to Caversham United is always a pleasure and this would be the second time seeing their new Saturday side in action this season. It would also be a second time seeing FC Bracknell and with both sides in the top three of the EBFL it promised to be a cracking game.
The journey involved a train to Reading followed by a 45 minute walk in the sunshine, over the Thames at Caversham Bridge, and up hill to Mapledurham playing fields. I played ball boy early on as shooting practice for the home side went a little awry before settling down for the game.
FC Bracknell started the game on the front foot despite being without a whole raft of players following their fantastic Slough Junior Cup win in midweek, beating Hype Train 2-1 at Arbour Park. The first effort on goal came from a cheeky attempt at a lob from Ben Poynter from 35 yards out, spotting the Caversham keeper Jake Seeburg well off his line, but his effort went high and wide of the goal.
They continued their good start when a Callum Cobb diagonal cross into the box was headed back across the face of goal by Poynter finding Jake Cook all alone on the edge of the six-yard box but he could only put the ball into the arms of Seeburg.
The home side started to get a foothold in the game with Pele Hagger heavily involved. First he won the ball well from a long Seeburg clearance, before playing in Bevan Van Wyk only to see him fire over the bar. Next, Hagger picked up the ball on the left wing, cut inside and shot across Kai Rock in the FC Bracknell goal with the effort just drifting past the far post.
Strong play on the right from Daniel Amponsah, outmuscling the defender before cutting the ball back to the edge of the box, Chris Welsher slid in to block with the ball going back to Rock which he picked up. The referee ruled this a back pass (?) and gave an indirect free kick to the Goats inside the box. The visitors provided a mass charge at the ball and managed to block away Van Wyk’s effort.
At the other end George Leakey played a nice ball over the top for Poynter to run after, Ben Hole tried to shepherd the ball back to Seeburg but Poynter managed to get a toe on it to send it goalwards only to see the keeper block well on the edge of the area.
On the stroke of half time, a Joe Norris throw found Amponsah in space and he hit a fine first time shot which Rock did well to save at his near post.
H-T: Caversham United 0 FC Bracknell 0
The visitors again started the half on the front foot. A free kick into the box was cleared by Hole but only as far as Cobb, he hit a dipping shot from 25 yards which clipped the top of the crossbar.
Cobb was involved again minutes later, running down the right flank hitting a cross into a dangerous area. Poynter won the header, but under pressure from Daniel Slater, couldn’t get the power behind it and his effort skipped wide of the post.
In the 65th minute the hosts were gifted the lead. A mistake in the FC Bracknell defence gave Matt Thomas the chance to rune into the box and, one on one with the keeper, calmly slotted the ball past him and into the net. 1-0
Caversham were now on top and were looking to increase their lead. Some nice build up play by Christopher Emmett on the left led to a chance for Van Wyk but his curling effort was dealt with comfortably by Rock.
The visitors came back and a Cobb corner on the right was palmed away by by Seeburg only to fall to Cook but he ballooned the ball high over the bar.
Caversham came back again and after a nice passing move the ball fell to Norris on the edge of the box. His shot took a deflection and looked to be looping over the keeper but Rock just managed to get his fingertips to it to knock the ball over the bar.
The Goats were now in the ascendancy, a dangerous inswinging corner from Van Wyk had to be parried away by Rock and, in the next attack, a Harris Doran long throw was headed on by Emmett and found it’s way to Van Wyk who tried a spectacular bicycle kick but couldn’t hit it cleanly and it drifted wide of the post.
Two minutes from time the visitors were given a lifeline. Another good Cobb run on the right was brought to a halt as he was bundled over inside the box by Hole with the referee having no hesitation in pointing to the spot. Poynter took responsibility and calmly sent the keeper the wrong way, finding the bottom right corner to level. 1-1
The visitors had a chance to win it as the game went into added time with Bailey Gandolfi having a shooting chance on the edge of the box, but he sliced it badly with the ball eventually going out for a throw!
Right at the death the home side nicked it. A long clearance was picked up by Van Wyk who ran into the area before sliding the ball past the advancing keeper to earn the home side all three points. 2-1
F-T: Caversham United 2 FC Bracknell 1
A decent game of football on a difficult surface with the three points cementing a promotion place for the home side. FC Bracknell still have a chance of taking the title but the initiative is now with Slough Heating Laurencians Reserves in that chase. Still, it’s been a superb first season in Saturday football from both clubs this season.
Always nice to catch up with both clubs and getting the chance to chat with Goat-in-Chief Paul Gutteridge at the game. Good luck to both in the final run-in and no doubt I’ll be seeing much more of both sides next season (with possibly another game for both in the coming weeks too!)