May pulls off spectacular late save as United hold table-toppers to draw

THE freezing wet weather once again took its toll on Thames Valley Premier League fixtures with many matches being postponed across all six divisions last Saturday.

In the Premier Division, unbeaten league leaders WARGRAVE dropped points for only the third time this season as they were held to a 2-2 draw at GORING UNITED.

The home side got off to a good start and took an early lead through Sullivan Akers.

The rest of the half was a battle as Wargrave missed a few good chances before Goring extended their lead just before half-time through Chris Pocock with a looping header hitting the post and creeping over the line.

Wargrave responded well in the second half and started creating chances. Sam Wild halved the lead after being played through by Callum Brighton and going round the keeper to score.

Both teams created further chances until Adam Crozier made it 2-2 with just a few minutes of the match remaining.

Wargrave created one more chance but denied all three points following a fine save by United goalkeeper Will May.

Elsewhere in the division, WOODCOTE, playing their first match of the year, ran out 5-1 winners at home to WINKFIELD.

The visitors were caught cold as the home team raced into a 4-0 lead inside 20 minutes. Toby Nowell opened the scoring on five minutes as he latched on to Sam Primmer’s perfect through pass to beat the onrushing goalkeeper.

The lead was doubled 10 minutes later when Tommy Brownlow volleyed home from close range after a cross rebounded off the Winkfield bar. The advantage was soon
3-0 as Sam Primmer scored with Mark Spruyt the provider.

The best goal came on 20 minutes when Lewis Carrigan scored with a good strike, the ball going in off the underside of the crossbar. Thoughts of a double figures win were soon dispelled as Winkfield began to exert some pressure of their own, and Woodcote keeper Ben Lallament earned himself a yellow card as he raced from goal and brought down a striker.

The visitors finished the half strongly and reduced the arrears with a well-taken headed goal from a free kick. Early in the second half Woodcote spurned three straightforward chances inside a minute to add to their lead.

Any lingering doubt about the result was dispelled when, on 70 minutes, Nowell scored his second goal with a simple tap-in after the keeper had spilled Fraser Sharples’s shot.

In Division 4, ROTHERFIELD UNITED DEVELOPMENT moved up to third place after running out
6-2 winners at MARLOW UNITED RESERVES.

The visitors raced into a 5-0 half-time lead with two goals from Benjamin Morgan and Lucas Pestana and one from Rhys Roberts.

The home side pulled two goals back in the second half before Morgan completed his hat-trick 10 minutes from time.