Only two games to report on from last week and only two games scheduled for next Sunday. There were differing results for two teams in green at the weekend, Long Crendon took three points whilst Kidlington went down at Eversley. Coming up, the champions finish their league season with a visit to Kidlington whilst runners-up Milton united take on Eversley at The Heights.

Eversley & California 3-1 Kidlington
Eversley leapfrogged Kidlington in the table and moved within a point of Caversham United, still with two games in hand on the Goats. Frankie Boekbinder gave Eversley a 1-0 lead at the break. Mia Caulcrick and Jo Harfield-Brown made the game safe before Kidlington top-scorer, Courtney Sumner, pulled one back late on. You can read the full match blog on the BotP site. You can also catch up with the match action though Andrew Batt's (@andrewbatt5) great action shots.

Long Crendon 4-1 Carterton
Long Crendon moved level on points with Penn & Tylers Green, in the battle for third spot, with a comprehensive victory over Carterton. This match also signified Carterton's last league game of the season and consigned them to a winless campaign. Ellie Lovelock bagged a hat-trick for Long Crendon with the other goal added by Michelle Bailey, her sixth of the season. Zoe Pugh was again on target for Carterton meaning that she ends the season having scored over half of Carterton's league goals.

Fixtures - Sunday 5th March. 14:00 KO

Kidlington v Woodley United
The Greens welcome league champions Woodley to Exeter Park. When the sides met at Bulmershe Pavilion in November, Woodley ran out 3-0 winners. All three goals came in the first half through Gemma Sims, Maddie Sawyer and Sophie Measham. Kidlington battled hard at Eversley last weekend but struggled to break down a disciplined Boars defence. This weekend they come up against the meanest defence in the league, just 7 conceded in 13 games. However, three points would lift them above Caversham and, possibly Eversley depending on their result at Milton.
Exeter Park, Crown Road, Kidlington OX5 1AB

Milton United v Eversley & California
Back in November, a single April England strike was the difference between the sides at the ESA. Milton possess two of the top three scorers in the league, Charlotte Comley (11) and Mollie Dyer (10) and they will need to be on top form to break down an Eversley defence that has only conceded 16 goals this season, two fewer than United. A point would take Eversley above Caversham United in the table.
Milton Heights, Potash Lane, Milton, Abingdon OX14 4XB

It's exactly four years since I last made the trip to Eversley & California. I was last at the Eversley Sports Association ground for the Combined Counties Division One relegation battle between The Boars and Cove, back on the 26th February 2019 (Boars On Top In Toto). That was a Tuesday evening. Fast-forward to a Sunday afternoon in 2023, and I was heading back to North-East Hampshire for a Women's Southern Region Division 1 North clash between Eversley and Kidlington. 

The Ground
Eversley's ground has not changed all that much in the intervening years. There's still a floodlight pylon in front of the visitor's dugout, which still makes me smile when I see it. One thing that was noticeably different was the fencing around the ground. When I last visited this was all encased in white plastic sheeting which has now all been removed, replaced by a bright blue fence behind the cricket pitch end goal. 

​The Background
Although it is getting towards the end of the season this was the first meeting between the sides, with the reverse fixture scheduled to be the final game of the D1N season. 
Kidlington had a great start to the season but their form has dropped off recently, taking only two points from their last six league games, a run that has seen them slide down the rankings. Eversley have won two and drawn two of their last six, an improvement on their earlier form. That being said, I'm not sure either side will be too disappointed with the season overall. We have to remember that Kidlington have made a two step leap into this division and were leading the table after four games. Yes, they've tailed off a little but they have shown that they can compete in the division. Eversley made the transition from Division 1 South (the only first division last season) having finished bottom with 10 points from 18 games. Before the start of play today they had already chalked up 9 point from 10 games and could, potentially, still manage a top half finish this season. The other statistic of note for Eversley is their goals against record. With the exception of Champions Woodley United, no other team had conceded fewer goals in the league. An amazing record for a side starting today's game second from bottom. This record could well be tested today with goalkeeper Teri Harfield-Brown out of action and Rae Roberts filling in for her.

The Game
It was a lively start to the game. Both sides looked as if they were here for three points, although neither managed a serious attempt at goal inside the first ten minutes or so. When a chance did manifest itself it was only a half-chance and it fell to the home aide. Rebekah Pantony latching onto a ball some 25 yards out and attempting a first-time lob over Emily Murphy. The ball went wide of the mark but had the visitor's keeper worried for a moment.
Gradually the momentum of the game started to swing towards Eversley. Both sides were probing away but, despite Abi Haynes keeping the home defence on their toes, the Boars backline was constantly able to snuff out Kidlington attacks early on, putting pressure back on the Kidlington midfield and defence and forcing them deeper. Ella Smith and Rebekah Pantony, switched wings for a while and the move paid off in the 25th minute. Pantony broke free down the right side before squaring the ball low across the centre of the Kidlington penalty area. Emily Murphy looked as if she was going to be able to claim the ball but Frankie Boekbinder had other ideas, sliding in front of the keeper to divert the ball into the net for 1-0.

​The goal gave an added boost to the home side as they looked to drive home their advantage. Jo Hartfield-Brown came closest to achieving this when she tried her luck from the edge of the box just past the half hour mark. her effort went narrowly wide of the post. With eight minutes remaining to the break, Kidlington almost got themselves back on level terms from a left-wing corner. The ball bounced up inside the six-yard box where Isabelle Thacker tried to head it over the line only to be just beaten to the ball and take a knock for her troubles. Thankfully, she was back on her feet after a little treatment.

HT Eversley & California 1 Kidlington 0. The home side deservedly led at the break but could not rest on their laurels. Kidlington were still seeing plenty of the ball but, as yet, had not found a way to break down the home defence.
​

​Eversley were immediately on the front foot at the start of the second half. Two minutes in they went route one, a long ball through the middle for Jo Harfield-Brown to chase. The bounce almost caught out the Kidlington defence and keeper but, with Harfield-Brown looking to pounce, Murphy was just about able to drop on the ball. There was also a noticeable increase in the number of full-bloodied challenges going in early on. Nothing malicious, but neither side was prepared to give ground in a 50-50 tackle.
As we approached the hour mark, one of the Eversley substitutes, Mia Caulcrick, decided to make her mark on the game. Collecting the ball some 30 yards out, she glimpsed Murphy slightly off her line and let fly from well outside the box. The shot left Murphy helpless as it clipped the underside of the bar on its way into the net. 2-0. A great strike.
Four minutes past the hour, Harfield-Brown was again on the hunt for a goal. She intercepted a pass in midfield, drove forward and unleashed an effort across goal that was narrowly wide of the far post. The game was now beginning to be more stretched as Kidlington pushed to get themselves back into it. Once again, Thacker was the player who was on the end of the best chance but, this time, a covering tackle just as she was about to pull the trigger forced her to shoot wide. I have to say, from where I was standing, if Thacker hadn't been honest enough to stay on her feet, she could well have been awarded a penalty. It would have been a little harsh but from my angle it certainly looked as if the Eversley defender got as much of Thacker as she did the ball. The Greens were further aggrieved with ten minutes remaining when Eversley increased their lead. Jo Harfield-Brown finally getting the goal her work had deserved with a neat left-foot shot just inside Murphy's left-hand post. 3-0
Three minutes after going there down, Kidlington did manage to get what turned out to be a consolation after they were awarded what looked to be a soft free-kick just outside the right-side of the box, almost on the by-line. The ball was delivered into the heart of the Eversley box where for once their defence was caught out as Courtney Sumner made a late run from the back post to powerfully head past Roberts. 3-1. Suddenly Kidlington looked more confident but didn't have enough time left to mount a recovery. Lauryn Cripps did have a slight chance but put her long-range effort wide under pressure from Sims. If that had gone in, maybe with a couple of minutes to go, Eversley would have been slightly worried. However, they quite comfortably saw out the final moments of the game to claim all three points.

FT Eversley & California 3 Kidlington 1. Overall a deserved three points for Eversley & California. It's not hard to see why they have such a good defensive record. The back four of Ella Chandler, Emma Pointon, Gemma Lunn and captain Hester Benham, looked as solid as rock for the vast majority of the game. Kidlington worked hard throughout the match and were never out of it. After they finally got a goal, they had their tails up, but it was too late in the game for them to get up a head of steam. Both sides are back in league action next weekend. For more information, look out for the weekly D1N review published later this week.
Great to finally meet up with Andrew Batt (@andrewbatt5). His photos of the game can be viewed by clicking on his name. The link will also be in this week's D1N review.

Eversley & California: Roberts, Benham(c), Chandler, Smith, Harfield-Brown, Pointon, Boekbinder, Pantony, Skinner, Elcox, Lunn. Subs: O'Donnell, Caulcrick, Richards, Tzanetis
Kidlington: Murphy, Clayton, Dunbabin(c), Antonen, Clements, I.Thacker, O.Thacker, Chewings, Sumner, Haynes, Hawtin. Subs: Woodward, Slavik-Ali, Cripps

Ground Number: Re-Visit
Att: 
Entrance: N/A
Programme: N/A

I would never consider myself to be a groundhopper. I tend to stay within 100 miles of home, I don't do hops, I only do non-league grounds (I did most of the 92 some time ago), and I only get to a relatively low number of games per season (compared to some). However, I do like to visit new grounds and I do keep track of where I have been. This Tuesday was a bit of a landmark in two ways. First of all this was an opportunity to clock up 350 grounds and, secondly, I discovered after I had chosen my destination that it would mean I had been to every ground in the Hellenic League Division One (as of this season). My destination had also been on my list for a long time. In the past, for various reasons, bad weather, work commitments, Covid, I had cancelled previous visits. The ground in question is The Big Local Stadium or, if you prefer, Petersfield Park. The game, a league encounter between Cheltenham Saracens and Moreton Rangers. Although this was my first visit to Petersfield Park, I have seen both of these sides play before. A December 2019 visit to Moreton-In-Marsh where I saw visitors Newent Town come away with a 2-1 victory (Daffs Bloom), and a September 2020 visit to Bourton Rovers where Saracens ran out 4-0 winners (Gone For A Bourton)

​The Ground
The Big Local Stadium is situated just to the North-West of Cheltenham town centre. Despite being smack bang in the middle of an urban area, once inside the stadium, you get the feeling that you are in the countryside (except for the trains thundering past close to one side of the ground). The approach is via St Peters Close which leads directly into a reasonably sized car park. There is a also some parking available on the grassed area between the car park and the stadium. Entry is via a small path from the car park that leads around the back of the stadium to a gate in the corner. 

​Behind the car park end goal there are two units housing the toilets and the refreshments. There is also a small Astroturf pitch, perfect for kids to play on. The ground has recently benefitted from a new white plastic picket fence running all around the playing surface. There are three covered spectator areas spread around the ground. To the right as seen from the car park end, there are two small seating stands. The dugouts are on this side too, although judging by the markings on the ground, they used to be on the railway side. On the railway side, towards the opposite end, there is a covered standing area. The trees that form a backdrop to the seated stands give the rural feel to the ground. All in all, it's a tidy ground, well worth a visit.
​

​The Background
At the start of play Saracens were placed in seventh, below Clanfield only on goal difference but having played three more games. Moreton were down in fifteenth but, points-wise, well clear of danger. Current form pointed to a home win. Saracens having taken 17 points from the last 30 available, Rangers with just 6 points in the same period. This season's reverse fixture at London Road was only played less than a month ago, on the 31st of Janaury. On that evening Saracens returned to Cheltenham with all three points after a resounding 4-1 victory. Paul Holmes with a brace, James Barnes-Wills and Edward Major were on target for Cheltenham. Moreton's reply came from George Kirby. 
Previous history also favoured Cheltenham. Last season they completed the double over Rangers. In October goals from Harry Duncan and Kai Mahon gave Saracens a 2-0 home victory. At the start of May, two from David Waters saw Saracens earn a 2-1 away win despite having John Evans sent off.
Moreton have seen quite a few changes over the past few days. Manager Glenn Brotherton left last Friday and this game will be Gary Barnett's first game at the helm. There are also changes on the pitch, with only a handful of the starting line-up at Kidlington 10 days ago beginning the ganme tonight.

​The Game
The game got off to a scrappy start from which it would never fully recover. Neither was capable of keeping possession for more than a few passes at a time and neither goalkeeper was called upon in the opening fifteen minutes.
The first real half-chance fell to Saracens when a Bailey Evanson cross was met by Paul Holmes but the striker put his header wide of the mark. Three minutes later Moreton were the first to win a corner. It was fizzed in towards the near post where Sam Penfold got a powerful header away, whcih also flashed wide of the mark. This corbner signalled a short period of Moreton pressure where they forced another three corners in quick succession. However, in keeping with the pattern of the game, they could not gte a decent effort on target. They did manage this just before the half-hour mark when Jamie Goodwin volleyed an effort straight into the arms of Jon Dix. Then, on 33 minutes, George Kirby broke free of the home defence but blazed his effort high and wide without troubling Dix.
As we approached half-time with neither keeper having had to get his gloves dirty, we saw the best opportunity of the half two minutes into added time. The ball fell loose in the Moreton box where Ed Major managed to swivel and get off a good volley which beat Aiden Shelton in the Rangers goal. Unfortunately for the home side, it didn't beat the far post, rattling the woodwork and rebounding to safety.

HT Cheltenham Saracens 0 Moreton Rangers 0. Not the greatest half of football by any means. Very little to choose between the teams. Major's late effort was the closest either had come to scoring but overall the visitors had probably just about edged it.

​Saracens were out very early for the start of the second half but it was their visitors who looked up for the fight early on, pushing Cheltenham back in the opening encounters. However, as with the first half, they failed to manufacture any clear cut opportunities and pretty soon Saracens had found their feet and were beginning to get back into the game. This became something of a midfield stalemate for 15 minutes or so. Neither side could establish any fluency especially with a number of stoppages as the frustration embodied itself in some rash challenges.
With just over 20 minutes remaining Kai Mahon sent a free-kick into the Moreton penalty area but Paul Holmes was just off target with his header again. Moreton responded with an effort of their own, Matty Johnson bursting through from midfield, eveding a couple of challenges before unleashing a shot that went wide of Dix's right-hand upright. That was the last time that Rangers troubled the home defence as Saracens began to push them back in search of a winning goal. With 10 minutes remainaing Mahon played a lovely ball through for substitute James Barnes-Wills to run onto. However, a superb last ditch tackle from the Sam Penfold was enough to put the striker off, forcing his shot wide of the mark. Mahon then had a chance from a free-kick on theedge of the box but, again, put his effort just wide of the post with Shelton scrambling across his goal. The Moreteon stopper was called into action again a minute later, saving brilliantly from Ed Major. It was one-wayt traffic now as Saracens threw everything at a resolute Moreton defence. Into stoppage time, Holmes agin planted a difficult headed opportunity just wide before Major got in again on the right, firing a low ball across the face of the goal with no striker able to get a touch. The final effort came in the 93rd minute when a long throw fell to Jamie Midwinter but he blasted over the top from the edge of the box.
Great resistance from Moreton towards the end. Their defence held firm under relentless pressure for the final 10 minutes.

FT Cheltenham Saracens 0 Moreton Rangers 0. Cheltenham jump a place to sixth but only have a point lead on Clanfield who now have three games in hand. Moreton are now a point clear of 16th placed Newent Town and six shy of Bourton Rovers who have played two more than Rangers.
Moreton at home to second-bottom Littleton on Saturday. The reverse fixture saw Moreton pick up a valuable 2-0 away win with goals from Callum Briggs and Jamie Goodwin. Both sides were reduced to 10 men when Mitch Butterworth for Littleton and Sam Penfold saw red. There were five othe ryellows in what soulnds like a feisty encounter. Cheltenham don't play until next Tuesday when they travel to fourth-placed Abingdon United. United won 2-1 at the Big Local earlier in the season John Mills and James East scoring to cancel out Stuart Midwinter's strike for Saracens.

Chletenham Saracens: Dix, Stalley, Evanson, Richmond, Hoskins, Hitchman, Midwinter, Newell, Holmes, Major(c), Mahan. Subs: Stokes, Evans, Barnes-Wills, Ibidapo, Honeyford
Moreton Rangers: Shelton, Smart, Newbould, Wagstaff, Penfold, Shipman, Irons, Goodwin, Burford, Johnson, Kirby. Subs: Singh, Ballinger, Beddoes, Smith

Ground Number: 350
Att: 44
Entrance: £5.00
Programme: N/A

Only three games played this weekend, two in the League Cup and one in the Chairman's Cup. The league game between Penn & Tylers Green and Caversham United was postponed. With only two fixtures scheduled for next weekend, it's quite a lightweight edition of #MakeAD1N this week.

League Cup
Ascot United 7-0 Eversley & California
Eversley felt the brunt of Ascot's frustration at losing the title race last weekend as The Yellawomen rattled in seven unanswered goals to progress in the league cup. Claire Couzens, Philippa Holden and Isabel Woods sent the Premier League side in 3-0 up at the break after the Boars had held firm for just over half an hour. However, two from Nicole Brown and one each from Tiffany Skinner and Hayley Cruickshank completed the scoring. Check out the photos from Andrew Batt (@andrewbatt5)

Eastleigh 3-0 Long Crendon
Long Crendon also bowed out of the League Cup to Premier League opposition, going down 3-0 to Eastleigh. The D1N side held their own for the first half, going into the break all-square at 0-0. However, a second-half hat-trick from Eastleigh's Sarah Bradshaw saw The Spitfires through to the next round.

Chairman's Cup (1st Round)
Woodley United 3-0 Abbey Rangers
Woodley took control of this game in the first half through Sarah Lawrence and, on the stroke of half-time, Gemma Sims. The same player scored again five minutes into the second half, making the game safe for United.
Luckily for us, Wandering Tractor (@wanderintractor) was on hand to bring us a great write-up of the game and the presentation of the league trophy, secured last weekend.

League
Penn & Tylers Green H-W Caversham United
Unfortunately, Caversham were unable to fulfil this fixture due to a combination of half-term unavailability and injuries to the squad. Penn awarded the three points.

League Fixtures (26 February)
Only two matches scheduled for next week.

Eversley & California v Kidlington
All being well, this will be the BotP live game for Sunday and will also mean that I have managed to watch all eight D1N teams this season. A win for The Boars will take them over Kidlington into sixth spot and put them just a point short of Caversham United with two games in hand. A win for The greens would take them above The Goats also with two games in hand. Oddly, given how late in the season we are, this is the first meeting between the sides.
Eversley Sports Association, Fox Lane, Eversley RG27 0NS

Long Crendon v Carterton
A win for Long Crendon would see them draw level with Penn & Tylers Green on points. However, they would need to score eight to go above them. This is Carterton's final league game of what has been a challenging season. I'm sure they'll put every effort into going out in style. The reverse fixture ended 3-1 to Long Crendon. Zoe Pugh scored for Carterton but goals from Samantha Bignall, Nicole Jacobs and Megan Baillet gave all three points to the Greens.
Long Crendon Recreation Ground, 9 Chearsley Road, Long Crendon HP18 9BS

​It was an early start for me on Saturday. Out of the house by 6:45 to drop my dog off at my Mum's house in the Midlands before heading over to The Dell Stadium in Brierley Hill for the Dudley Parkrun. A pedestrian 5k along the side of 'the cut' later, I was back at Mum's for some lunch before heading for my game, Cadbury Athletic v Boldmere Sports & Social Falcons, as voted for by Twitter in my previous day's poll.
Upon arriving at the ground, the first person I spotted was Dale James, photographer with Sports Shots and based just a few miles from my home in Oxfordshire. It was great to catch up with Dale again and have a chat about football in general.  Thanks also to Dale for sharing the team sheets with me.

​The Ground
Cadbury Athletic, after some time away for various reasons, are now back at their Bournville home. In the heart of Bournville Village, alongside the Cadbury factory and next door to Cadbury World. With the iconic pavilion as the backdrop behind the Bournville Lane end goal, the ground is something of a magnet for groundhoppers, not least because the club also produces a pretty decent programme. Parking can be a bit of an issue. The club website suggests the car park at the old Cadbury Club, gaining a code to exit upon entry to the ground. However, it appears you need a code to get in, as well as out. A lot of the parking in the streets around the ground is restricted to 2 hours but, if you go past the ground and drive to the opposite side of Cadbury World, you can find on-street parking around the shopping area on Sycamore Road and Maple Road.
With the pavilion at one end, a Victorian office block to one side and trees behind the far goal, only one side of the ground is open. Alongside the pavilion and running down the factory side of the pitch, there are concrete terraces that give a slightly raised view. You can also stand on the terrace of the pavilion, a very handy vantage point (the only covered area) especially when it rains, as it did just before half-time. The snack bar and the toilets are also housed in the pavilion. Dugouts are on the factory side. The pitch is flat and looked to be in good condition.

​The Background
Athletic are the current Midland Football League Division Two Campions having won the title by nine points from Coton Green last season. It was Green who progressed into Step 6 however, as the Bournville Recreation ground does not have floodlights and does not meet Step 6 ground grading requirements. They went into this game sitting in second place, trailing leaders Sutton United by eight points but with a game in hand. Boldmere have been cut adrift at the bottom of the table. With just one win all season, they started the day 10 points from safety with ten games remaining. Falcons last managed a league point in early December, drawing 1-1 at Kenilworth Sporting. Athletic were coming in on the back of three consecutive league draws, one of which was a title-chasing, six-pointer with Sutton United. The reverse fixture came back in August. Athletic took a 3-0 half-time lead before eventually running out 4-1 winners. Ojaohar Touatia scored for Falcons. Wade Malley with a brace, Jeson Dinanga and Josh McGinley on the mark for The Chocolate Men.

​The Game
Cadbury started like a train. Within the first 30 seconds Boldmere keeper Jack Richards was called into action prevent Ethan Hanks from scoring. Then, on four minutes, only a superb, last-ditch tackle from Luke Billett prevented Cadbury going ahead. That said, Cadbury may have had the two best chances but Boldmere did not look like a team struggling at the bottom of the league. They were lively up front and were giving as good as they were given across the field. Nikolas Tatar, out on the right flank, looked to be capable of beating his man but couldn't get in a decisive final ball. Jack Bradley was also putting himself about up front as the Falcons announced to Cadbury that they were going to be in for a game.
As we moved towards the twenty minute mark, with the game still goalless, Cadbury began to lift their game and th momentum of the game began to swing in their favour. Warren-Paul fed in Craine but the striker put his effort well over when he probbaly should have worked the keeper. Two minutes later the same player was presented with a simialr chance which he, this time, slotted home, only to find the assistant's flag already raised. The signs were there however and, on 25 minutes, the home side finally go their noses n front. A corner form th right wa sdrilled across the area, finding Myles Brooks at the far post. His well-struck, first time effort, flew past Richards for 1-0.
Three minutes later Cadbury went route one to extend their lead. Fraser Oliver launched a huge kick downfield. Craine challenged for the bouncing ball which fell perfectly for Kedeiah Warren-Paul to calmly stroke past Richards. 2-0. Then, just past the half-hour mark came a controversial incident. Another long ball deep into Falcons territory saw Richards come off his line to challenge with Craine. The players collided and the visitors keeper ended up on the floor, seemingly injured. The ball dropped into the path of Liam O'Donnell, who finished well only for the referee to blow for a foul on the keeper. Cadbury players were quick to point out that Craine took the ball rather than the keeper, and that the assistant, who had a better clearer than the referee , did not flag. After consulting with his assistant, the referee signalled for a goal, much to the consternation of the Falcons bench and players. After a brief stoppage, the referee sent off Falcons manager Ryan Dean, presumably for dissent, and the goal stood. 3-0.
Then, as the heavens opened (by which time I had luckily wandered over to the pavilion to get tea), and with just a few minutes to go until half-time, Warren-Paul was again put through on goal. He rounded the goalkeeper and slid the ball into the net. 4-0.

HT Cadbury Athletic 4 Boldmere Sports & Social Falcons 0. Solid start from the Falcons but once Cadbury managed to click into gear and get the first goal, it was one-way traffic. 

​Falcons looked revitalised at the start of the second half. They had a big penalty shout after 6 minutes. Nothing doing from the referee but, from my position, it looked as if Athletic had got away with one. Decisions like that never seem to go the way of  teams near the bottom of the table, in any league. To add salt into the wounds Cadbury went straight up the other end and extended their lead. Ethan Hanks with a great shot from the edge of the area that beat Richards but crashed back off his right-hand post. First to react to the loose ball was Wade Malley who smashed the ball into the net for 5-0
Still with under ten minutes gone in the second period, Falcons once again engineered an opportunity. Nikolas Tatar was played in, but Oliver was quick to narrow the angles, blocking well to keep a clean sheet.
With the game well and truly won, their was a slight drop in Athletic's tempo, although they were comfortably keeping Falcons in check. Fraser Oliver did have to make an exceptional save from a point blank range Steve Weladji header but, that aside, Falcons rarely troubled the home keeper. A minute after Oliver's save and with 21 minutes left to play, Thomas Craine came very close to making it six when he met a lovely left-wing cross but saw his powerful header smash against the bar and away to safety. The introduction of Ike Muojekwu injected pace and fresh legs into Cadbury's attack, and it was the right-wing substitutue who provided the pinpoint cross to allow Adam Bourn to tap-in at the near post on 79 minutes. 6-0
There was still enough time for The Bear, Warren-Paul, to control a right-wing cross, steady himself and fire past Richards to grab his hat-trick. 7-0

FT Cadbury Athletic 7 Boldmere Sports & Social Falcons 0. A comprehensive win for The Chocolate Men with a score line that does no harm to their goal difference, although theyt stil have a way to go to macth Sutton's +54. The leaders also won, coming back from 4-2 down to beat AFC Birmingham 6-4 and maintain their eight point lead. Falcons are well and truly anchored to the bottom. However, if they could mainitain the sort of form they showed in the first twenty minutes of this game for 90 minutes, they woud certainly cause some serious problems to teams. Next weekend Falcons entertain fourth placed AFC Coventry Rangers whilst Cadbury make the short journey to The Pavilions to face eighth placed Earlswood Town.

Cadbury Athletic: Oliver, Cooke, Christie, McGinn, Morris(c), Brooks, Hanks, O'Donnell, Craine, Malley, Warren-Paul. Subs: Muojekwu, Dinanga, Thomas, Taylor, Bourn
Boldmere Sports & Social Falcons: Richards, Rea, Francis, Brown, Shore, L.Billett, Tatr, Weladji, Bradley, Cameroc, O'Neill(c). Subs: Dean, A.Billett, McNamara, Jones, Davis

Ground Number: 349
Att: 61
Entrance: £5.00
Programme: £1.50

​A new League for me on Wednesday evening, the Herts County Senior League. Also two new teams, Hertford Heath and Cuffley. A somewhat truncated match blog this week. No team sheets available, so not easy to write up the match. If I get them, I'll make an update later.

The Ground
Hartford Heath ground share with Eastern Counties Division 1 East side St Margaretsbury, based in the village of Stanstead Abbots, which is also St Margaretsbury's original name. The ground is part of village recreation ground, located just a short hop from the A10. It is accessed via a long service road which runs alongside another football pitch, used by the teams to warm-up before the game. There is plenty of parking available on site and a good-sized sports and social club just beyond, alongside the tennis courts. The football ground is behind and to the left of the social club, accessed via a lit pathway. Entrance to the ground is through a single turnstile/gate which brings you in almost on the halfway line. There is a snack hut a covered standing area and a covered seating stand on this side of the pitch, all raised a good ten foot above pitch level, giving a really good view of the game. The dugouts are directly below the spectator standing area. Although you can walk down to pitch level, most spectators chose to stay up higher to get a better view.
The pitch, it has to be said, looked to be very bumpy in places. This was backed up by some bad bobbles during play. However, it is pretty much flat from end to end.

​The Background
Hertford Heath were promoted back into the Herts County Senior Premier League after winning Division One last season. Until last Saturday it had been an exceptional start to life back in Step 7, with an unbeaten league run stretching over their first 13 games. However, that was ended by this evening's opponents when they came from behind to beat Heath 3-2. Stachys Scott put Heath ahead early on, a lead they held until half-time. However, goals from Mark Ajayi and top-scorer Kaci Anthony Gardner Henry put Cuffley in front. Gardner Henry then added another goal with ten minutes to go. Peter Reilly pulled one back from Heath but it wasn't enough to prevent them losing for the first time.
At the start of play on Wednesday Heath sat in third spot, three points adrift of Chipperfield Corinthians in second and a further three behind leaders Bush Hill Rangers but with a game in hand. Cuffley were in sixth spot, six points adrift of Hertford Heath

The Game
Having been unable to get the team sheets, I could only record player numbers and can't tally them to names at this point. Therefore, it is a very much shortened match report.

Heath started the brighter of the two and were the first team to test the opposition keeper. However, Cuffley showed they could cause issues too, forcing the home keeper to make a decent block with only around ten minutes played. Heath continued to apply a high line forcing errors from the visitors. Cuffley were their own worst enemy at times. Credit to them for sticking to their style of playing out form the back but, be it the pitch or just a lack of concentration, they consistently managed to give the ball away in dangerous positions. They were very lucky not to have handed the hosts a goal on a plate.
Gradually, as the half progressed, you could sense the Cuffley were starting to get into the game more, but still looked vulnerable when playing out from the back. In fact, goal kicks looked to be more threatening than conceding a corner at times.

HT Hertford Heath 0 Cuffley 0. A good start from the hosts but, as the game wore on, the visitors started to get a grip on proceedings a little more. 

There was a little tit for tat at the start of the second half. Cuffley started with a decent attack and a shot just over. Hertford responded with a strike of their own, which went straight into the goalkeeper's arms. Ten minutes into the second period Cuffley came very close to taking the lead. A free-kick from way out on the right side was played into the area. Several players challenged for the ball with the final touch coming off a defender. The ball beat the keeper but crashed against the far post and bounced to safety.
There was an immediate response from Heath. First of all they forced a tremendous flying save from the visitor's keeper before going ahead just before the hour mark. It was a lovely little move, resulting in a flicked pass setting the number 9 free in the box. He calmly slotted past the keeper to make it 1-0.
Once ahead Hertford proceeded to manage the game very well in my opinion. They concentrated on blunting the Cuffley attack and did a very good job of it overall, restricting the visitors to very few efforts.

​FT Hertford Heath 1 Cuffley 0. Big celebrations from the home team at the final whistle as they leapfrog Chipperfield into second spot. Revenge for league defeat just last weekend and the perfect way to set up what i snow a huge local derby on Saturday. Heath make the short, 8 mile journey, down the A10 to visit leaders Bush Hill Rangers at Cheshunt FC's Theobalds Lane stadium. Meanwhile, Cuffley can have further influence on the title chase when they host third-placed Chipperfield Corinthians.

Ground Number: 348
Att: 
Entrance: £4.00
Programme: N/A

Super Sunday saw the D1N title decided when leaders Woodley, only needing a point, produced what has become something of a trademark display, winning and keeping a clean sheet at Milton United. Meanwhile, Caversham came from 2-0 down to earn a point and Penn got back to winning ways at Carterton. Long Crendon's clash with Kidlington was postponed.

Milton United 0-2 Woodley United
Woodley have been on a fantastic run of form recently which has seen them go from fourth spot in October, to the head of the league. With only a point needed to take the title, Woodley produced yet another great performance, inflicting Milton's first defeat of the season. A goal in each half from Bonnie Messitt and Sarah Lawrence, combined with yet another clean sheet, was enough to secure the title with a game to go.
You can read all about it on the Reading Today site. Both Oakmist Photography and Andrew Batt were there to capture the action and celebrations in glorious style.
Massive congratulations to all at Woodley United FC. A superb effort and an amazing run of results.

Carterton 0-5 Penn & Tylers Green
Penn won for the first time since last October with a dominant second half display. They led 1-0 at half-time but managed to put another four past Carterton in the second half. The goals were spread throughout the team, with Henna Hussain, Georgie Lloyd, Emma Nolan, Sasha Smith, Rebecca Stopforth all adding to their totals. With two games to go, Penn will be looking for maximum points to secure third spot.

Eversley & California 2-2 Caversham United
Goals from Rae Roberts and Natasha Elcox gave The Boars a healthy looking 2-0 lead at the break. However, the Goats showed some great determination to hit back with two goals from Steph Nelson, the equaliser coming very late in the game. Well worth taking a look at the Caversham United Women Twitter feed for some great photos and videos, including this clip of the equaliser

Long Crendon P-P Kidlington

A shout out also has to go to Abingdon United, Champions of the Premier League after they defeated nearest rivals Ascot United 2-0. Abingdon, despite ruling the roost in the division all season, had already lost twice to Ascot. However, when it really counted, they came up trumps thanks to goals from Megan Crawford and Lindsay Pinker.

Fixtures (14:00 ko)
League Cup
Ascot United v Eversley & California
With the league title decided, Ascot United will turn their attention to the League Cup Quarter-Final. Likewise, Eversley are safe from the bottom of Division 1 North and can now place their focus on the cup too. Ascot got here by courtesy of a bye and then a superb 2-1 win at Abingdon United in the last round. Eversley also had a bye in the First Round before seeing off Premier League Winchester Flyers 2-1 in the last round. The winners of this game will go on to take on either Bournemouth Sports or Wycombe Wanderers in the Semi-Final.
The Racecourse Ground, Winkfield Road, Ascot, Berkshire SL5 7LJ 

Eastleigh v Long Crendon
Another Premier League versus Division 1 North clash as mid-table Eastleigh take on mid-table Long Crendon. Eastleigh's progress has come through 1-0 win at Penn & Tylers Green followed by a 3-1 defeat of Woking in the last round. Long Crendon saw off Carterton 5-0 in the First Round before receiving a home walkover against Selsey Development to set up this tie. The winners will face either AFC Stoneham or Rushmoor Community, both of Division 1 South.
The Silverlake Stadium, Stoneham Lane, Eastleigh, Hampshire SO50 9HT

Chairman's Cup (1st Round)
Woodley United v Abbey Rangers
Fresh from their league title, Woodley get no rest as they return to Bulmershe Pavilion to face Division 1 South side Abbey Rangers in the Chairman's Cup, currently held by Abingdon Town. With Rangers struggling towards the bottom of the league, Woodley will go into the game favourites. However, Rangers have taken nine point from the last twelve in the league, so are clearly on an upwards trend. The winner will take on either Abingdon United or Oxford City in Round 2.
UofR Bulkmershe Pavilion, Woodlands Avenue, Woodley, Reading, Berks RG5 3HE

League
Penn & Tylers Green v Caversham United
Both of these sides have come back into goal scoring form in the last two games. Penn scored five last time out, with five different scorers. Caversham have clocked up seven in their last two games, with six different players getting on the score sheet. The reverse fixture finished 3-0 to Penn with two goals from Ellie Ludgate-Williams and another from Sasha Smith. However, this will be United's last game of the season and they will want to finish with a flourish.
French School Meadow, Elm Road, Penn HP10 8LG

This week is such a big week in the Southern Region Women's League, not just in Division One North, but also in the Premier League. Since Edition 21 was published the situation in D1N has changed in that Woodley were awarded the three points for the earlier season postponement with Carterton. This means that they are now four points clear of Milton with only two games remaining. In the Premier League Abingdon United are seven points clear of Ascot United but have played two extra games. This weekend the top two in both divisions meet.


Milton United v Woodley United
Woodley now only need to avoid defeat at The Heights to claim the league title. The extraordinary thing about this league is that Milton are the only team to remain unbeaten so far and are also the only team to have beaten Woodley. If this game was to finish all-square, it is highly conceivable that Milton could go the whole season unbeaten and still not win the title. This was always going to be a great match but now it promises to be an epic battle.
Milton Heights, Potash Lane, Milton, Abingdon OX14 4XB

Abingdon United v Ascot United
The situation in the Premier League is slightly different to D1N. However, what is identical is that the current leaders of the division, in this case Abingdon United, only require a point from their game to take the title. The teams have met twice already this season, on the opening day of the league at The Racecourse Ground and two weeks ago in the League Cup at Northcourt. On both occasions Ascot have been victorious by the same 2-1 score line. Another game that promises to be tense, close and exciting.
Northcourt Road, Abingdon, Oxfordshire OX14 1PL

​A combination of a late meeting and the inclement weather meant that I had to leave my game decision until the last minute on Tuesday evening. As always at this time of season, I had a 3G game in the mix in case the dropping temperatures saw off grass pitches. I had already seen a few games fall foul, but the two game son top of my list looked to be ok. A trip to Laverstock and Ford for The Spires derby with Bemerton Heath Harlequins was quashed by the late meeting. However, the game that I had on the top of my list, Hilltop v Reading City, was on and close enough for me to still be able to make it in time. With temperatures still dropping by the minute, I headed off down the M40 half expecting to find a last minute postponement. Thankfully, the game survived.

The Ground
Hilltop ground share at Hillingdon Borough's Middlesex Stadium, a new ground to me and, I have to say, something of a unique experience. The stadium is situated in Ruislip, just a short hop off the A40. The ground is well signposted off Breakspear Road and has a very large car park which runs from the main road to the clubhouse and then off to the left behind the main stadium and the adjacent 3G pitches. There appear to be two ways to enter the main ground, a gate between the main pitch and the 3G pitches and an entrance down the side of the clubhouse. It's certainly a friendly place though. A local supporter started chatting to me as I entered the ground, giving me loads of information about the ground and the teams (Hilltop and Hillingdon Borough). Then a lady popped her head out of one of the huts and asked me if I wanted a hot drink, before pointing out where the club entrance and toilets were located. Shortly afterwards one of the Hilltop coaches walked past and, after I asked if he had the team sheets, was more than happy to get them and let me photograph them. Later one, whilst standing pitch side, most of the Hilltop coaches and substitutes walked past and shook hands with both myself and the local guy I was chatting to. Friendly old place.

​The stadium has two covered stands. A large seating stand behind the goal to the right of the clubhosue and a large standing area behind the goal at the opposite end. I was told by the local that the pitch used to be at 90 degrees to the current one and that the seating stand ran lengthways down the side of the pitch. Now that the pitch has been turned at a right angle, spectators on the car park side, behind the dugouts, are quite a ditance from the playing area. They also have two of the largest technical areas I have ever seen. Another quirk of this ground is that ome and away changing rooms are at opposite ends of the stadium (at least when Hilltop pla, I can't speak for Hillingdon). When the teams were called out the referee and one assistant walked out from the clubhouse end, with the reading players. The other assistant had to run to the other end of the ground to get the Hilltop players. I've never seen this before but it's yet another thing that makes watching non-league football so interesting. The pitch slopes a little from right to left as you look from the car park side. It looked a little bumpy and, even before kick-off, was starting to show signs of frost on the surface. It really was a cold evening.

​The Background
Going into the game, everything appeared to make Reading favourites. The Cityzens sat second in the league, seven points adrift of leaders Ascot United but with a game in hand,. They had only lost once in the last six games, a 2-0 defeat to Ascot at The Racecourse Ground. Hilltop, in contrast, were in tenth spot 22 points behind Reading after only winning one of their last six, albeit a crushing 5-1 defeat of Broadfields on their own patch. Recent head to head history also favoured the Berkshire team. They met at Scours Lane back in October, in what appears to have been quite a feisty encounter. Hussein Mahdi gave Hilltop an early lead which they held until after the hour mark. Then, on 63 minutes, Eddie Lee equalised for Reading before Eddie Lazarczuk snatched all three points in the 87th minute. That was not the end of the action though. Mahdi then picked up a second yellow in the 89th minute before Hilltop were reduced to nine in the 94th minute when Sharmake Ali got a straight red.

​The Game
The game got off to a stuttering start. Three times within the opening eleven minutes Hilltop had players down and the referee had to twice call on the physio, who was certainly getting his steps in. The stoppages prevented either team from getting into any kind of rhythm. However, once the game settled down a little, it was the visitors who began to establish themselves as the dominant team, kicking down the slope in the first half. Home keeper Victor Allan Miranda Telles had to be quick and brave on 24 minutes when he was forced to throw himself at the feet of Eddie Lee to make a good stop. Reading were now starting to wind up the pressure on Hilltop, although the hosts always looked quite dangerous when they were allowed to break. Four minutes later another Reading break down the right saw the ball reach Pilling in the box. His control was excellent but his finish to the bouncing ball was slightly off and the ball flashed wide.
Reading continued to show some great build up play without unduly worry Miranda Telles. On 38 minutes a Baines snapshot thudded into the keeper's midriff when either side may have been a different result. Then, with two minutes to go before the break, Hilltop launched another quick raid upfield resulting in Michael Panford's shot looking destined for the top corner before Charlie York threw himself acrobatically to his right to palm it away for a corner. Nothing came of the corner kick, but this was a warning for reading. Despite their dominance, the best effort so far had gone the way of the home side.

HT Hilltop 0 Reading City 0. The visitors undoubtedly on top in terms of possession but couldn't make it pay. You could also argue that the best save of the half came from Reading keeper. Hilltop looked lively and sharp when they broke. The slope might play to their advantage in the second half.

​It took seven minutes of the second period to break the deadlock and, despite being on the backfoot for much of the first half, it went the way of Hilltop. A cross from the left was not cleared by the Reading defence and debutant Ronny Mfinda dug it out to plant the ball past York. 1-0.
There was almost a quick response from reading when Pilling fired just over from the edge of the box on 55 minutes but the visitors were now chasing the game and were rushing their passes, trying to force it by playing long balls. The upshot was that their passes were either mis-directed or mopped up by the Hilltop defence. Then, five minutes after the hour, Hilltop broke again and were awarded a penalty. I couldn't clearly see the incident from my vantage point, but there didn't seem to be many complaints form the Reading players. Substitute Jordy Mumbiny stepped up and calmly slotted home the spot kick. 2-0.
The second goal did spark more of a response from Reading. They made a few more changes to their line-up and did start to push Hilltop back into their own half more. It looked as if they had a golden chance to get back into the game on 69 minutes when Dan Davies found himself all alone in front of goal. However, he pushed the shot wide and, in any case, the assistant's flag was already up. A few minutes later a corner form the left was met by the head of Ellis Cowd but his downward header was well saved by Telles Miranda.
With ten minutes go a foul on nasty looking challenge on Hilltop captain Mohamed Hussein sparked some pushing and shoving amongst the players. Miranda Telles ran a good 35 yards from his goal to get involved, seemingly raising his hands as he pushed a Reading player over. Once the melee had calmed down and the referee had consulted with his assistant, who had a clear view of the incident, a yellow card was issued to the keeper and the Reading captain Phil Veal, who sparked it all off with the tackle. From where I stood, the keeper was quite lucky that he didn't see red. It wasn't a particularly violent push but his hands were raised and the assistant could easily have seen it differently.
That was the last major incident in the game before the referee blew the whistle allowing us all to head back to the warmth of our cars.

FT Hilltop 2 Reading City 0. Hilltop rode their luck at times, especially in the first half. However, when they got a chance, they took it. From a coaching perspective, great game management. Reading will, no doubt, spend the journey back down the M4 wondering just how they managed to lose the game. They could, and probably should, have been out of sight by half-time. 
At the weekend Hilltop are at home again when they welcome Edgware & Kingsbury to The Middlesex Stadium. The Wares are one place and three points about Hilltop having played one game fewer. The eraly season game saw Edgware win 2-0 with both goals coming in the first half. Qusey Islam saw red for Hilltop. Meanwhile, Reading are back on the M4 for a trip to Wembley (not the big arch). The Lions are currently in ninth and the sides have yet to meet this season.
It struck me whilst writing this blog that although I had never seen Hilltop play before, I had seen Reading City play three times, even if all three were under their previous name of Highmoor Ibis. All three were quite some time ago. A 2-0 win against Royal Wootton Bassett Town (New Name, New Stadium, Same Result), a 3-0 defeat at Binfield (Moles Dig In To Stay Top) and a 4-1 defeat at Ardley United (Goal Machine). Given the result this evening, it appears that my attendance is not a particularly good omen for the team.

Hilltop: Telles Miranda, S.Ali, Yislam, H.Hussein, Ahmed Ali, M.Hussein(c), Aboudi Ali, Salih, Mfinda, Panford, Mahdi. Subs: Obiechina, Afrah, Mohamed, Mumbiny, Hashani
Reading City: York, Smith, Baker, Lazarczuk, Veal(c), Cowd, Baines, Davies, Lee, Pilling, Abubakar. Subs: Donville, Vallentin, Sankoh, Ceesay, Tanner

Ground Number: 347
Att: 
Entrance: N/A
Programme: N/A

It was a day of some drama across the D1N on Sunday. Milton United looked as if they were going to leapfrog Woodley ahead of the crunch clash next week. However, after equalising midway through the second half, Woodley managed to snatch all three points with the last kick of the game. The sides meet at Milton Heights next weekend in what promises to be a tense affair and possible season defining tussle. Elsewhere, The Goats notched five and Long Crendon ended their run of draws with victory at The Boars.

Caversham United 5-0 Carterton
The Goats recorded their first league win since beating Kidlington in late October, with a five goal haul despite having both top scorers, Freya Jenkins and Sumayah Zayadi, missing. Caitlin Levy opened the scoring with a screamer. Chante Bynoe-Gittins and and OG gave Caversham a three goal lead at the break. They added two more from Emma Hopkins and Annabelle Baxter, despite a much more spirited second 45 from the visitors. Carterton offered their usual performance, full of spirit and resolve, but failed to give Sam Thoreau too much trouble. Both BaseofthePyramid and WanderinTractor were at the game and produced match reports.

Eversley & California 0-1 Long Crendon
The draw specialists went one better at the weekend. Long Crendon have drawn over 50% of their matches this seaosn but an Emma Leith goal was enough to give them all three points at Fox Lane. Oddly, depsite their mid-table position, Crendon have yet to win a game at home. Eversley still have five remainign league matches plus a cup encounter with Premier league high-flyers Ascot United on their agenda.

Milton United 4-0 Kidlington
United kept up their part of the bargain in the title race with a comprehensive victory over Kidlington. Millton were without top-scorer Charlotte Comley but a brace from Jessica Simons, plus goals from April England and Natalie Evans saw them keep up the pressure ahead of next weekend's head to head with Woodley.

Penn & Tylers Green 1-2 Woodley United
Penn managed to do something that no other team had managed in over 12 hours of football, score a goal. It was always going to take something special to break them down and Henna Hussain (click on Henna's name to link to the video on Twitter) provided just that. Well worth a view on the Penn twitter feed. Despite the goal, and leading at the break, Woodley found a way to claim all three points. Ellen Surtees equalised with a worldie of her own before Charley Evans snatched the victory in added time. All of the action was, once again, perfectly captured by Andrew Batt (@andrewbatt5) and Oakmist Photography (@oakmistphotos). You can also read the Woodley United report on their website.

Next week's fixtures (Sunday 12 February. All 14:00 ko)

Carterton v Penn & Tylers Green
This is the reverse fixture to the opening day's meeting at French School Meadow. On that day all three of the Penn strikers got on the scoresheet. Sasha Smith and Ellie Ludgate-Williams hit two each whilst Henna Hussain chipped in with another. Kirsten Rolls replied for Carterton as the fell to a 5-1 defeat.
Sports Pavilion, Monahan Way, Carterton OX18 3AN

Eversley & California v Caversham United
This will be the third meeting of the teams this season. Eversley won an early season FA Cup encounter at Mapeldurham 3-1 with goals from Jo Harfield, Rebekah Pantony and Lilly-May Varney. Sumayah Zayadi briefly evened the scores for the Goats midway through the second half. The league encounter ended all square. Rae Roberts gave Eversley the lead from the spot but Sam Thoreau latched onto a loose ball to equalise.
Eversley Sports Association, Fox Lane, Eversley RG27 0NS

Long Crendon v Kidlington
The early season game between these teams fell in the middle of Kidlington's four game unbeaten start and ended 0-0. Kidlington have struggled to recapture that opening form and Long Crendon have yet to win at home. You would not bet against this one ending level as well.
Long Crendon Recreation Ground, 9 Chearsley Road, Long Crendon HP18 9BS

Milton United v Woodley United
It's hard to state the importance of this game. A clash between the top two. A point between them in Woodley's favour but Milton are still the only unbeaten side in the league. Then add into the mix that Milton are the only team to inflict league defeat on Woodley this season and you have the makings of an absolute belter. When they met at Bulmershe in October they produced a superb rollercoaster of a match. If Sunday is similar the spectator are in for a treat.
Milton Heights, Potash Lane, Milton, Abingdon OX14 4XB


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