Combined Counties round-up: Holyport slide deeper into trouble as survival hopes fade

Action from Burnham’s 1-1 draw with Wokingham Town. Photo credit: Andrew Batt

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North Leigh 2, Holyport 0

Holyport’s hopes of survival in the Combined Counties Premier Division North appear to be vanishing before their eyes after Lee Ovens and Dan Rapley’s side suffered their 11th straight defeat in all competitions.

At one stage this season, Port appeared to be recovering after a disappointing start to the campaign. But their form since the start of October has fallen off a cliff, and Saturday’s 2-0 at North Leigh leaves them five points from safety in the relegation zone.

This was a game Holyport could ill afford to lose. They went into the clash Eynsham Hall Park Sports Ground two points behind their hosts – and a win would have lifted them above North Leigh and out of the bottom two.

Instead, they were deservedly beaten, with North Leigh scoring their goals through Jacob Sapwell (14') and Bukunmi Maxwell (60').

The result leaves them five points from safety above only Edgware & Kingsley in the league at around the half-way stage. It also means they’ve lost 19 of their 24 matches and have played several more matches than most of the teams just above them in the table.

In short, this is shaping up to be a relegation season for Port barring a remarkable turnaround in their fortunes.

They do now have a two week break to try and figure out just what’s going wrong this season before their must win game at bottom of the table Edgware & Kingsbury on Saturday, January 3.

They then travel to promotion chasing Windsor & Eton, who they held to an impressive goalless draw at Summerleaze Park earlier in the campaign. Ovens and Rapley will be hoping these are the games that can spark some confidence and better form, but objectively, their survival hopes seem to be very thin ice.

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Harefield United 2, Windsor & Eton 2

After five straight wins in all competitions, Rob Webb’s Windsor & Eton were held in an entertaining 2-2 draw by Harefield United.

The visitors will have been disappointed to drop points to a team sitting 14th in the table, but they twice had to come from behind to rescue a point.

Given their league position and recent form, the Royalists would have hoped for a victory to lift them back into the play-off positions, but instead they found themselves chasing the game from the early stages at Preston Park.

Montel Brown fired Harefield in front after only five minutes, and the score remained that way until Leo Decabo smashed home Windsor’s leveller in the 53rd minute. The Royalists might have hoped to press home their advantage and win the game from there, but Brown’s second goal in the 66th minute rocked them back on their heels and they needed another equaliser – this time from Luke Phillips in the 85th minute - to claim a share of the spoils.

The result leaves Webb’s side just outside of the top five, two points behind fifth placed Burnham. They do though have matches in hand over all the teams above them, including second placed Ardley United who appear favourites for the title at this stage.

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Burnham 1, Wokingham Town 1

Burnham will also be disappointed they couldn’t capitalise on Jordan Brown’s early goal as they were held to a frustrating 1-1 draw at home by Wokingham Town.

Wokingham arrived at the 1878 Stadium very much in midtable and the Blues would have targeted three points from this clash.

Those hopes were raised when Brown fired them in front after only eight minutes. But Wokingham hit back with a goal from Ty Moorcroft in the 53rd minute and held on for a share of the spoils. The Blues remain inside the top five after rivals Windsor & Eton also dropped points at Harefield United. They return to action against Reading City at Rivermoor on Saturday.

Reading have played fewer games than any other side in the division (15) and have five matches in hand on Burnham. Were they to win them all they’d go above Mo & Omz Bakali’s side in the table and be well in the mix for a play-off finish.