Fosh’s first Henley Town hat-trick leaves Reading City reeling

SECOND-PLACED WARGRAVE maintained their unbeaten Premier Division record as they ran out 4-1 winners at BURGHFIELD last Saturday.

Both teams looked to control the game from the start but it was Wargrave who took the lead when Sam Wild headed home from a Joe Wigmore free kick. Stuart Moss later played through Wild who raced away and around the keeper to add his second of the game.

Burghfield pulled a goal back from a miss-kicked cross from Will Vallins. Ollie Brown almost equalised with a superb effort from distance but it was matched with a fine save by debutant Peter Brown in goal.

Ben Dobson made it 3-1 to Wargrave before half-time, slotting home after a long throw caused mayhem in the penalty area.

Wargrave started the second half well and looked to end the game with a fourth goal which came after good work from Sam Wild and Teddy Thomas who assisted Callum Brighton to find the bottom corner from 16 yards.

HENLEY TOWN got back to winning ways as they beat READING CITY RESERVES
3-1 at the Triangle Ground.

City started the game quickly and came close in the first
10 minutes when Jay Wiltshire hit the crossbar following a corner and forcing Town keeper Ben Palmer into a good save from the follow-up shot.

In a game that wasn’t overly physical the visitors received two sin bins after 30 minutes reducing them to nine men for the next 10 minutes but Henley were unable to take advantage during this period with captain Luke Mulvaney and Harry Taylor being denied by some fine saves from City keeper Leo Wilkinson with striker Tommy Fosh also smashing a shot against the crossbar.

Fosh and fullback Brodie Hatfield started to find space down the left flank and created chances that tested Wilkinson and his defence a number of times.

With City back to their full complement Fosh opened the scoring on 40 minutes when a corner found him 15 yards out and his fierce strike beat Wilkinson to send the hosts in a goal up at half-time.

The second half began with Town having the better of the possession and keeping their discipline while the visitors received a third sin bin after
55 minutes. City had a couple of half chances including a good effort that produced a good block from Palmer.

Henley kept trying to play decent football on a difficult wet pitch with midfielder Robbie Tanner having an outstanding game and they were rewarded on 65 minutes when Fosh stole in at the far post to get his second. With the game looking comfortable Town conceded a penalty on 72 minutes when centre back Aiden Cameron committed a foul in the box. Kai Stubbs scored from the rebound after Palmer saved his first effort.

The hosts responded well from this setback and sealed the three points with 10 minutes remaining when Tanner unselfishly played Fosh in from the right and he side-footed home to claim his first hat-trick for the club.

MAIDENHEAD TOWN completed the double over hosts WOODCOTE as they ran out 4-3 winners.

The visitors took a fifth minute lead and controlled a lot of the possession. Town might have added to their lead, but an acrobatic overhead kick was just wide and Woodcote’s keeper, Ben Lallament, made a good save from another strike.

Woodcote’s first serious chance came after 25 minutes when Andy Taylor’s free kick was headed narrowly wide by Alec Curtis. This combination was to prove vital on 35 minutes as Curtis converted from Taylor’s corner kick.

In the second half Woodcote made it 2-1 just after the hour mark, Taylor’s free kick saw Curtis head towards the far post and Ben Rusher converted with a deft flick.

Less than a minute later Woodcote were denied a penalty when Mark Spruyt appeared to have been upended in the box. This spurred Maidenhead into action and Lallament made two fine saves within a couple of minutes to protect Woodcote’s lead.

On 83 minutes it looked as if Woodcote had won the match as Spruyt made it 3-1 with a fine strike, but Maidenhead made it 3-2 inside a minute. In the next Maidenhead attack, Curtis headed a shot off the line, but the ball wasn’t cleared and a shot found the net for 3-3.

As the match came towards the end of normal time, a shot through a crowded penalty area was deflected past Lallament to secure a last gasp victory for the visitors.

In Division 2, league leaders AFC ALDERMASTON RESERVES thrashed basement side HENLEY EXILES 7-0.

The match got off to a fairly even start before Aldermaston scored directly from a free kick after 20 minutes.

The hosts added two more goals to lead 3-0 at half-time.

The score was 3-0 at the break but Henley started the second half really well, looking extremely dangerous and keen to get back into the game.

Henley were forced to use their only substitute on
65 minutes and the hosts made full use of their 16-man squad as they netted a further four goals without reply.

Theo Rosi netted a goal in each half to help GORING UNITED RESERVES secure all three Division 3 points in their 5-3 win at BERKS COUNTY ROVERS. Tim Cunningham, William Graham and Isaac Middleton were also on target for the visitors.

In Division 4, third placed ROTHERFIELD UNITED DEVELOPMENT thrashed second-placed AFC ALDERMASTON B 7-0 at Bishopswood.

Benjamin Morgan netted a hat-trick while Warren Gardner, Jack Morgan and Max Miller were also on the score sheet for the hosts.