League leaders take advantage of late interception to deny Henley Hawks

HENLEY HAWKS 1sts came agonisingly close to toppling Maidenhead and District League Premier Division leaders WINDSOR in a thrilling encounter last week.

Going into the game just two points behind their opponents in the league, the Hawks knew victory would send them top of the table.

Windsor made the brighter start, edging into a three-goal lead by the end of the first quarter.

The second quarter proved challenging for Henley as Windsor found their rhythm, combining strong defensive pressure with clinical shooting. Despite the Hawks’ efforts to stem the tide, Windsor extended their advantage to seven goals by half-time.

Hawks came out firing in the third quarter, lifting the tempo and applying relentless defensive pressure. Windsor’s attacking space was shut down and turnovers began to flow the Hawks’ way. Henley clawed back the deficit goal by goal to draw level by the end of the third quarter.

The final quarter saw both sides trading goals but ultimately, a crucial interception allowed Windsor to snatch a slight advantage, which they held on to in the closing moments to secure a hard-fought 38-36 win.

Despite the defeat, the Hawks secured two bonus points from the match.

In Division 1, HENLEY HAWKS 2nds and MAGNET ICE shared the spoils in a hard-fought 26-26 draw.

Magnet Ice edged the first quarter by the narrowest of margins, holding a one-goal advantage at the first break.

The Hawks responded well in the second quarter, matching Ice goal for goal from centre pass before capitalising on a crucial interception. This allowed Henley to turn defence into attack and take a slender one-goal lead into half-time.

Neither team was able to gain the upper hand in the third quarter, with momentum swinging back and forth and defensive units firmly on top. Hawks maintained their single-goal cushion through disciplined play and controlled possession.

The final quarter was played at a relentless pace as both teams fought hard for every ball. Magnet Ice eventually drew level and briefly threatened to snatch victory, but Henley held their nerve in the closing moments as the match ended all square.

HENLEY HAWKS 5ths secured a 37-27 victory against BUMBLEBEES in Division 3 after pulling away late in a closely fought contest.

The match began at a high tempo, with both sides trading goals and testing each other’s defensive units. Bumblebees found consistency in the opening quarter, converting key chances to establish a three-goal lead at the first break.

Hawks lifted their intensity in the second quarter and began to turn the tide. Improved defensive pressure created opportunities through the court, and with the shooters in fine form, Henley overturned the deficit to take a narrow one-goal advantage into half-time.

The third quarter was evenly matched, with neither team able to gain clear control. Both sides fought hard for possession and Hawks worked patiently to protect their slim lead.

Hawks increased the pressure from the start of the final quarter, scoring the opening goals and denying Bumblebees any immediate reply. This decisive spell allowed Henley to stretch the margin and take control, seeing out a hard-fought win. The result lifted Hawks above Vixens and into second place in the table.

In Division 4, HENLEY HAWKS 4ths, who could only field six players, went down to a 32-18 defeat against a strong STORM side.

The Hawks began brightly and matched Storm goal for goal in the opening quarter, refusing to let their numerical disadvantage show as the scores remained level at the first break.

The extra player began to tell in the second quarter, with Storm producing a series of slick attacking passages to build a 10-goal lead by half-time.

Storm maintained their momentum after the interval, capitalising on their chances in the shooting circle to extend the margin further and move 16 goals clear.

Despite the scoreline, the final quarter belonged to the spirit of the Hawks. Digging deep, Henley refused to give in, working tirelessly across the court to limit the damage and keep themselves within the half to secure a valuable bonus point.

Despite a gritty fightback following a challenging opening first quarter, HENLEY HAWKS 1sts went down to a 47-43 defeat against TBRL in Division 1 of the Reading and District League.

The match opened with heavy rain in the first quarter. The wet conditions made footing tricky and disrupted Hawks’ early rhythm, allowing TBRL to capitalise and build a five-goal buffer. Despite the conditions, Hawks showed early signs of intent, with strong defensive efforts from GK Byde and GD Williams, who worked tirelessly to contest every ball and slow TBRL’s attacking flow.

Hawks came out firing in the second quarter with the midcourt trio of Thomas, Daines and Roberts forcing turnovers and driving the ball forward with speed. The Hawks won the quarter and clawed back momentum. In attack, Bayfield and Jacobs showed good composure, working the ball patiently and converting under pressure. Hawks trailed by four goals at the interval.

The third quarter saw Hawks match TBRL goal for goal. The defensive unit continued to hunt every intercept, while the mid-court worked tirelessly to contest every pass.

The final quarter followed a similar pattern, with Hawks once again matching TBRL on the scoreboard.

The defensive pressure remained relentless right to the final whistle, forcing TBRL to earn every possession. In attack, Hawks continued to show patience and control, converting crucial goals and pushing until the end. In Division 3, HENLEY HAWKS 2nds ran out 35-20 winners against MAVERICKS.

McCarthy made her return after injury for the Hawks and produced several sharp interceptions and worked seamlessly with the defence.

Hinton-Woodiers delivered a standout performance on her debut. Her timing, pressure, and ability to disrupt an experienced opposition attack gave Hawks early momentum.

Flintham, steady and effective in goal defence, read the play well and capitalised on multiple opportunities to turn over possession while at centre, Stubbs dictated the rhythm of the game.

Taylor brought energy and confidence in attack. The shooting end started strongly, with Traynor immediately on target and setting the tone for the attacking unit. Burroughs soon found her stride, and together the pair became a formidable partnership.

When Machan entered the game to replace McCarthy in wing defence, she faced a tough assignment against a strong and agile wing attack. Despite the challenge, she worked tirelessly, applying pressure, forcing errors, and securing key deflections to maintain Henley’s advantage as they ran out 15-goal winners. In the Berkshire Premier League, HENLEY HAWKS went down to a 58-44 defeat against B’s SKY.

The match began with misfortune for the Hawks after five minutes when goalkeeper Overall suffered an ankle injury and was unable to continue.

Despite the disruption of having to reorganise the side, the opening quarter was tightly contested. Hawks worked hard to settle into their new structure and stayed in the contest, trailing 13-12.

The second quarter saw Hawks continue to battle, with strong passages of play through the midcourt and accurate shooting keeping them within reach. However, B’s Sky began to capitalise on turnovers and edged ahead
27-24 by half-time.

B’s Sky’s consistency allowed them to extend their advantage, with the score moving to 42-36 by the end of the third quarter.

In the final quarter, Roberts was introduced at wing attack in place of Johnston-Coff in an effort to inject fresh energy but Hawks had too much to do as they eventually lost out by 14 goals.