As often happens at this time of year, my original plans for this Saturday were scuppered by the weather, so Whetstone Athletic and St Patricks will have to wait for another day. Many thanks to St Patricks player-manager Sean Doy, for keeping me up to date with events in Leicestershire.
As always, I had a number of games on my list of possible so, with Whetstone off, I switched from one game involving teams that had climbed the leagues alongside each other, to a game involving two teams who were promoted together last season, Witney Town and Oakley United. Witney won the Oxfordshire Senior League Division Two last season, whilst Oakley came up even though they finished in fourth spot. Spoils were shared last season. Witney won this fixture 3-1, whilst Oakley were victorious at home, on the first day of the season, winning 4-0. During the season, BotP saw Witney beat Oxford Irish Athletic 4-1 at Gordon Way (Comfort Blanket) and, this time last year, I watched Oakley lose 3-0 at Stoke Mandeville in the Thomas Field Shield quarter-final (100% Stags).
Prior to kick off, Witney sat proudly atop the Division One table, 3 points ahead of Shipston Excelsior but having played two additional games. They'd only lost twice this season, but both of those had come at home. They were, however, on a run of five wins from their last six matches. Oakley started the day in 6th spot, 14 points behind their hosts but with four games in hand. They'd won two, lost two and drawn two of their last six, but were coming to Witney defending an unbeaten away record. This would be the first meeting of the teams this season.
A big thank you to referee Rob Jones for sharing the teams sheets, and having a chat before the game, and at half-time. Rob is known in my family as my daughter's favourite referee, despite the fact that he once had to threaten her with the sin-bin after a particularly vociferous complaint about a debatable offside flag.
As always, I had a number of games on my list of possible so, with Whetstone off, I switched from one game involving teams that had climbed the leagues alongside each other, to a game involving two teams who were promoted together last season, Witney Town and Oakley United. Witney won the Oxfordshire Senior League Division Two last season, whilst Oakley came up even though they finished in fourth spot. Spoils were shared last season. Witney won this fixture 3-1, whilst Oakley were victorious at home, on the first day of the season, winning 4-0. During the season, BotP saw Witney beat Oxford Irish Athletic 4-1 at Gordon Way (Comfort Blanket) and, this time last year, I watched Oakley lose 3-0 at Stoke Mandeville in the Thomas Field Shield quarter-final (100% Stags).
Prior to kick off, Witney sat proudly atop the Division One table, 3 points ahead of Shipston Excelsior but having played two additional games. They'd only lost twice this season, but both of those had come at home. They were, however, on a run of five wins from their last six matches. Oakley started the day in 6th spot, 14 points behind their hosts but with four games in hand. They'd won two, lost two and drawn two of their last six, but were coming to Witney defending an unbeaten away record. This would be the first meeting of the teams this season.
A big thank you to referee Rob Jones for sharing the teams sheets, and having a chat before the game, and at half-time. Rob is known in my family as my daughter's favourite referee, despite the fact that he once had to threaten her with the sin-bin after a particularly vociferous complaint about a debatable offside flag.
Witney piling on the pressure In front of a very sizeable crowd, on a bitterly cold afternoon, Witney started the stronger of the two teams without causing any immediate concern to visiting goalkeeper Micky Thompson. In fact, it was Oakley who were presented with the opening encounter's best opportunity when they were gifted the ball inside the Witney penalty area after eight minutes. However, they couldn't take advantage of the situation. After that wake-up call, Witney began to take control of the game.
Ryan Oliver was the first to go close, bursting clear on the right side before driving across the face of goal and narrowly wide of the far post for a goal-kick, despite Thompson getting the merest of fingertip touches to the shot. A few minutes later the home side went route one when a long ball over the top found Harrison Furlong who took on the shot first time, lifting the ball over Thompson but. unfortunately for Witney, over the bar too.
The Blanketmen were now well on top in terms of possession with goalkeeper Tom Bennington not much more than a spectator at this point.
Just after the midway point of the half, Jack Morton leapt like a salmon to meet a cross, only for his leader to loop just over Thompson's bar but, four minutes later, the home side finally broke the deadlock. Another ball beyond the Oakley back-line caused some confusion between Thompson, who had rushed to the edge of his box, and the defence. The half-clearance reached Harrison Furlong some 25 yards out. The Witney number 8 returned it first time, bypassing both stranded goalkeeper and covering defenders. 1-0. A lovely controlled strike.
Witney smelled blood and it looked like they would go on to establish a big lead now. Two minutes after the goal, left-back William Smaldon sent a curling effort in from the left flank, over Thompson and looking destined for the top corner, only for the ball to come back off the bar. Then the woodwork came to United rescue again just past the half-hour mark when Morton's cross found Furlong who met it with a powerful header, only for the ball to, once again, smash off the bar.
Oakley were wobbling, but hanging on and, to give them credit, they did stem the flow somewhat after those two close shaves. Furling came close again just before the break, when another long ball saw him beat Thompson only for his lobbed effort to clear the bar.
HT Witney Town 1 Oakley United 0. Witney controlled the half but only managed to find the net once. They could, and probably should, have been two or three to the good. Oakley must be quite happy to go into the break still very much in the game.
Ryan Oliver was the first to go close, bursting clear on the right side before driving across the face of goal and narrowly wide of the far post for a goal-kick, despite Thompson getting the merest of fingertip touches to the shot. A few minutes later the home side went route one when a long ball over the top found Harrison Furlong who took on the shot first time, lifting the ball over Thompson but. unfortunately for Witney, over the bar too.
The Blanketmen were now well on top in terms of possession with goalkeeper Tom Bennington not much more than a spectator at this point.
Just after the midway point of the half, Jack Morton leapt like a salmon to meet a cross, only for his leader to loop just over Thompson's bar but, four minutes later, the home side finally broke the deadlock. Another ball beyond the Oakley back-line caused some confusion between Thompson, who had rushed to the edge of his box, and the defence. The half-clearance reached Harrison Furlong some 25 yards out. The Witney number 8 returned it first time, bypassing both stranded goalkeeper and covering defenders. 1-0. A lovely controlled strike.
Witney smelled blood and it looked like they would go on to establish a big lead now. Two minutes after the goal, left-back William Smaldon sent a curling effort in from the left flank, over Thompson and looking destined for the top corner, only for the ball to come back off the bar. Then the woodwork came to United rescue again just past the half-hour mark when Morton's cross found Furlong who met it with a powerful header, only for the ball to, once again, smash off the bar.
Oakley were wobbling, but hanging on and, to give them credit, they did stem the flow somewhat after those two close shaves. Furling came close again just before the break, when another long ball saw him beat Thompson only for his lobbed effort to clear the bar.
HT Witney Town 1 Oakley United 0. Witney controlled the half but only managed to find the net once. They could, and probably should, have been two or three to the good. Oakley must be quite happy to go into the break still very much in the game.
Pounds from the spot Sure enough, with only three minutes of the second half gone, Witney were made to play for their missed chances. Oakley's Tom Beckett picked the ball up on the halfway line and drove towards the right-hand side of the home penalty area. With defenders backing off him, Beckett went for goal, sending a low drive past Bennington's right hand into the bottom corner. 1-1
The Witney response to the equaliser was almost immediate, but Thompson was equal to Furlong's effort, making another good stop. That looked to have been crucial when, two minutes later, Oakley were awarded a penalty after Harry Gardner was clipped in the box. No real complaints from the home side as Daniel Pounds smashed the ball past Bennington from the spot. 1-2 with just seven minutes of the second period gone. Some turnaround from Oakley.
In response, Witney made a few changes as Oakley put players behind the ball in defence of their lead. There was, however, a long way to go. Could they hand on for over 30 minutes?
Witney continued to push for a goal but, aside from a couple of freekicks, Jack Robinson's pushed away by Thompson and Ryan Oliver's effort flashing narrowly wide, the home side were struggling to get back into the game.
However, Oakley were dropping deeper and deeper. Since the second goal they had posed no further threat to Bennington's goal to the point where, at one point, the home keeper was complaining of being cold.
The Witney response to the equaliser was almost immediate, but Thompson was equal to Furlong's effort, making another good stop. That looked to have been crucial when, two minutes later, Oakley were awarded a penalty after Harry Gardner was clipped in the box. No real complaints from the home side as Daniel Pounds smashed the ball past Bennington from the spot. 1-2 with just seven minutes of the second period gone. Some turnaround from Oakley.
In response, Witney made a few changes as Oakley put players behind the ball in defence of their lead. There was, however, a long way to go. Could they hand on for over 30 minutes?
Witney continued to push for a goal but, aside from a couple of freekicks, Jack Robinson's pushed away by Thompson and Ryan Oliver's effort flashing narrowly wide, the home side were struggling to get back into the game.
However, Oakley were dropping deeper and deeper. Since the second goal they had posed no further threat to Bennington's goal to the point where, at one point, the home keeper was complaining of being cold.
Last gasp leveller from Furlong Their plan looked very much as if it was going to pay dividends as we entered time added on. Even more so when, a minute in to added time, the home side engineered an opportunity for Andrew Gunn, but the centre-half could only stab his volley wide of the mark. Then, in the 94th minute, more drama as Rob Jones pointed to the spot for a foul in the area. This time there was some argument from the defence but, as the incident happened at the far end from my position, I couldn't say for sure if the complaints were justified. Whatever the case, the decision stood. Furlong stepped up and drilled the ball down the middle to level it up. 2-2.
There was barely time to restart the game before the final whistle went. A hard-earned point for both teams.
FT Witney Town 2 Oakley United 2. Witney will feel they did enough to win this one, but they didn't take their chances when they came and Oakley, who had much less possession, took the two big opportunities they had. Trying to defend their lead for most of the second half, almost paid off before the very late penalty.
With all other games called off, Witney's lead is now seven points at the top. However, they have now played three more than Shipston. Oakley stay in sixth, level on points with Yarnton Reserves
Next up for The Blanketmen is a trip to seventh placed Hanwell United who they beat 2-1 at home back in September. Oakley welcome Sporting Headington Academicals to Oxford Road, who are one point and two places above them. eh first meeting of the teams this season.
Witney Town: Bennington, Karaj, Smaldon, Clark, Gunn, Walker, Oliver(c), Furlong, Holloway, Morton, Griffin. Subs: Shayler, Preston-Carney, Robinson, Dix, Morgan-Allen
Oakley United: Thompson, Gardner, Walsh, Bailey, Atkinson, Bosher(c), Beckett, Dandridge, Falcus, Pounds, Knight. Subs: Kernan, Woodcock, Sargent, Mannerings, Lunn
Ground Number: Re-visit
Att: 120+
Entrance: N/A
Programme: N/A
There was barely time to restart the game before the final whistle went. A hard-earned point for both teams.
FT Witney Town 2 Oakley United 2. Witney will feel they did enough to win this one, but they didn't take their chances when they came and Oakley, who had much less possession, took the two big opportunities they had. Trying to defend their lead for most of the second half, almost paid off before the very late penalty.
With all other games called off, Witney's lead is now seven points at the top. However, they have now played three more than Shipston. Oakley stay in sixth, level on points with Yarnton Reserves
Next up for The Blanketmen is a trip to seventh placed Hanwell United who they beat 2-1 at home back in September. Oakley welcome Sporting Headington Academicals to Oxford Road, who are one point and two places above them. eh first meeting of the teams this season.
Witney Town: Bennington, Karaj, Smaldon, Clark, Gunn, Walker, Oliver(c), Furlong, Holloway, Morton, Griffin. Subs: Shayler, Preston-Carney, Robinson, Dix, Morgan-Allen
Oakley United: Thompson, Gardner, Walsh, Bailey, Atkinson, Bosher(c), Beckett, Dandridge, Falcus, Pounds, Knight. Subs: Kernan, Woodcock, Sargent, Mannerings, Lunn
Ground Number: Re-visit
Att: 120+
Entrance: N/A
Programme: N/A
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