After only getting back from glorious Gdansk at midnight on Tuesday, I was happy to only be making a short trip over to Enstone on Wednesday evening. My third visit this season was for another Henry Hawtin cup game, this time the second semi-final between Chadlington and Heyford Athletic. The winner should face Adderbury Park in Saturday's final after they beat Stonesfield 2-1 on Tuesday evening. However, with Park's opening Oxfordshire Senior League game with Saxton Rovers also scheduled for Saturday, it will be interesting to see what team they put out.
Coincidentally, my two previous Henry Hawtin Cup ties this season had featured the group games for the two sides in action this evening. The first of the two saw Chadlington defeat Stonesfield 3-2 (Godfrey Wins It For Chads Army). The second was Heyford's 0-0 draw with Charlbury Town (Henry Hawtin Memorial Cup (Charlbury Town v Heyford Athletic)).
Both Heyford and Chadlington were promoted to the Witney & District Premier Division at the end of last season, Chadlington finishing as runners-up to Tower Hill and Athletic finishing fourth, but going up because of the expansion of the top division. In their two league meetings last season, Chadlington did the double, winning 2-1 at Heyford and 3-2 at home. So, perhaps they started this evening as slight favourites.
Coincidentally, my two previous Henry Hawtin Cup ties this season had featured the group games for the two sides in action this evening. The first of the two saw Chadlington defeat Stonesfield 3-2 (Godfrey Wins It For Chads Army). The second was Heyford's 0-0 draw with Charlbury Town (Henry Hawtin Memorial Cup (Charlbury Town v Heyford Athletic)).
Both Heyford and Chadlington were promoted to the Witney & District Premier Division at the end of last season, Chadlington finishing as runners-up to Tower Hill and Athletic finishing fourth, but going up because of the expansion of the top division. In their two league meetings last season, Chadlington did the double, winning 2-1 at Heyford and 3-2 at home. So, perhaps they started this evening as slight favourites.
Heyford, taking no heed of recent history, started the game well and, after just a minute, opened up the Chadlington defence with a through ball that saw Josh Haynes get in behind his marker. He cut across the front of the 18-yard area before drilling a shot straight at Will Foster. It was a good save from the Chadlington stopper but a strike either side of him would probably have opened the scoring.
The Bears could have been made to pay for that miss a few minutes later when a long ball caught out the defence allowing Alfie Peachey to get a strike in from 25 yards. It was high and wide but a warning to Heyford, nevertheless.
However, a minute later with only seven on the clock, Bobby Gosling produced another defence splitting ball that, once again, found Josh Haynes. This time the winger made no mistake, sitting Foster down before slotting the ball neatly past him at the near post. 0-1
Chadlington tried to respond immediately and when Hans Korge met a deep cross from the right with his head, only some defensive pressure made him guide the effort wide of Membury's left-hand post. Shortly afterwards Korge was again threatening, this time sending a 20-yard free-kick narrowly over the bar. It was a good response from Chadlington but, despite that, they found themselves two down after 17 minutes. A Bears corner from the left was flicked goalward by Harvey Spaenij and, although the initial effort was blocked, Bobby Gosling was on hand to whip the ball past Foster. 0-2
Once more, Chadlington tried to respond to the goal and were close on 20 minutes when a cross from the right dipped alarmingly close to Membury's bar, with the keeper back-peddling furiously. Chadlington's number 11 then came close after beating the offside trap to run onto a long ball. Although he looked well off, there was no flag. He cut back onto his left foot before drilling a low shot into the side-netting.
Then, just before the half-hour, Heyford made it three. Jack Duggan with some nifty footwork, engineered an opening on the edge of the box before absolutely hammering a drive past Foster. Great strike. 0-3
The third goal took the wind out of the Chadlington sails and, unsurprisingly, Heyford also sat back a little, basking in their three-goal cushion. The consequence was fewer goalmouth incidents in the run up to half-time. Josh Haynes did force a good save from Foster, but pretty soon the referee blew for the break.
HT Chadlington 0 Heyford Athletic 3. Despite the one-sided score, the game was by no means one-way traffic. Chadlington had caused a few issues for Heyford too. The difference being that The Bears were ruthless up top, putting away three chances from probably no more than seven good opportunities. An early goal for Chadlington in the second half could make it interesting.
The Bears could have been made to pay for that miss a few minutes later when a long ball caught out the defence allowing Alfie Peachey to get a strike in from 25 yards. It was high and wide but a warning to Heyford, nevertheless.
However, a minute later with only seven on the clock, Bobby Gosling produced another defence splitting ball that, once again, found Josh Haynes. This time the winger made no mistake, sitting Foster down before slotting the ball neatly past him at the near post. 0-1
Chadlington tried to respond immediately and when Hans Korge met a deep cross from the right with his head, only some defensive pressure made him guide the effort wide of Membury's left-hand post. Shortly afterwards Korge was again threatening, this time sending a 20-yard free-kick narrowly over the bar. It was a good response from Chadlington but, despite that, they found themselves two down after 17 minutes. A Bears corner from the left was flicked goalward by Harvey Spaenij and, although the initial effort was blocked, Bobby Gosling was on hand to whip the ball past Foster. 0-2
Once more, Chadlington tried to respond to the goal and were close on 20 minutes when a cross from the right dipped alarmingly close to Membury's bar, with the keeper back-peddling furiously. Chadlington's number 11 then came close after beating the offside trap to run onto a long ball. Although he looked well off, there was no flag. He cut back onto his left foot before drilling a low shot into the side-netting.
Then, just before the half-hour, Heyford made it three. Jack Duggan with some nifty footwork, engineered an opening on the edge of the box before absolutely hammering a drive past Foster. Great strike. 0-3
The third goal took the wind out of the Chadlington sails and, unsurprisingly, Heyford also sat back a little, basking in their three-goal cushion. The consequence was fewer goalmouth incidents in the run up to half-time. Josh Haynes did force a good save from Foster, but pretty soon the referee blew for the break.
HT Chadlington 0 Heyford Athletic 3. Despite the one-sided score, the game was by no means one-way traffic. Chadlington had caused a few issues for Heyford too. The difference being that The Bears were ruthless up top, putting away three chances from probably no more than seven good opportunities. An early goal for Chadlington in the second half could make it interesting.
Although Chadlington needed the early strike, it was Heyford's Ben Dawe who got away the initial second-half effort, shooting just wide from outside the box. That was something of a reprieve for Chadlington but it didn't last too long. Just eight minutes into the second period, Bobby Gosling was on hand once more to smash home from close range. 0-4. That was the goal that sealed the game. It felt as if Chadlington were still in it at 3-0. A goal back may have sparked a revival, but at 4-0 it felt like game over.
Gosling was clearly hungry for more and came within a whisker of a spectacular hat-trick goal when his 55th minute long distance strike left Foster stranded but clipped the bar on it's way out.
Just before the hour Chadlington rallied a little, producing a lovely move up the right that ended with captain Ethan Bennett bringing a full-length save from Jack Membury. Two minutes later Chadlington's number 4 blasted a strike just wide from 20 yards and, with 14 minutes to go Lewis Pretorius saw his excellent effort take a slight deflection to take it just over Membury's bar and out for a corner.
To be fair, Chadlington continued to look for a consolation goal until the very end but Membury and the Heyford back-line were determined to keep a clean sheet.
FT Chadlington 0 Heyford Athletic 4. A game that, overall, was much closer than the score line suggests. If Chadlington had put away one or two of their first-half chances, who knows what would have happened. However, Heyford took their chances clinically, and deserved the win on this basis alone. They'll now take on Adderbury Park for the trophy on Saturday. The teams drew 4-4 in the group stage.
BotP won't be able to cover the final but, if you have the chance, please try to get down to Enstone Sports Club to support this event. Rob Smith and the team there do a fantastic job to get this tournament on, and the club provides a warm welcome for all visitors.
Chadlington(squad): Foster, Betts, Curtis, Thomas, I.Harrington, Pretorius, Bradley, Korge, Bennett(c), Peachey, Godfrey, Grimmett, Smith, Mayne, S.Harrington
Heyford Athletic(squad): Membury, Symes, Campbell, Spaenij, Badland, Heath, Dawe, Bonito, Gosling, Duggan, Haynes, Flarry, Matthews, Simon, Philpott
Ground Number: Re-visit
Att:
Entrance: N/A
Programme: N/A
Gosling was clearly hungry for more and came within a whisker of a spectacular hat-trick goal when his 55th minute long distance strike left Foster stranded but clipped the bar on it's way out.
Just before the hour Chadlington rallied a little, producing a lovely move up the right that ended with captain Ethan Bennett bringing a full-length save from Jack Membury. Two minutes later Chadlington's number 4 blasted a strike just wide from 20 yards and, with 14 minutes to go Lewis Pretorius saw his excellent effort take a slight deflection to take it just over Membury's bar and out for a corner.
To be fair, Chadlington continued to look for a consolation goal until the very end but Membury and the Heyford back-line were determined to keep a clean sheet.
FT Chadlington 0 Heyford Athletic 4. A game that, overall, was much closer than the score line suggests. If Chadlington had put away one or two of their first-half chances, who knows what would have happened. However, Heyford took their chances clinically, and deserved the win on this basis alone. They'll now take on Adderbury Park for the trophy on Saturday. The teams drew 4-4 in the group stage.
BotP won't be able to cover the final but, if you have the chance, please try to get down to Enstone Sports Club to support this event. Rob Smith and the team there do a fantastic job to get this tournament on, and the club provides a warm welcome for all visitors.
Chadlington(squad): Foster, Betts, Curtis, Thomas, I.Harrington, Pretorius, Bradley, Korge, Bennett(c), Peachey, Godfrey, Grimmett, Smith, Mayne, S.Harrington
Heyford Athletic(squad): Membury, Symes, Campbell, Spaenij, Badland, Heath, Dawe, Bonito, Gosling, Duggan, Haynes, Flarry, Matthews, Simon, Philpott
Ground Number: Re-visit
Att:
Entrance: N/A
Programme: N/A
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