A last minute decision saw me heading back over to Enstone Sports Club this Friday evening, for another Henry Hawtin Memorial Cup group match as Charlbury Town took on Heyford Athletic. As it has only been a couple of weeks since my last visit to this ground, this match blog will take a different format to normal. There's no ground description and, for a number of reasons, the actual match description will be limited. However, thanks to competition organiser, Rob Smith, and John Hawtin, son of Henry whom the cup is in honour of, there will be far more detail about the competition.
In fact, let's start with that to give a little more background about the cup, its history and the current competition status. Following my recent visit for the Stonesfield v Chadlington game, Rob kindly did some research regarding my questions about the origin of the cup, and was able to speak with John Hawtin, who kindly hand-wrote a short history:
Henry Hawtin was born in 1914 and started working for Worth's Motor Services in 1928, selling cycles and cars in Enstone. Worth's Garage is still a thriving business in Enstone to this day. One of Henry's jobs was to take the Oxford University rugby team to matches, including the Varsity Game held in London every year. He did this for 30 years and was awarded a silver salver for long service after 25 years. He continued driving the buses until his death from a heart attack in the late 1980s.
Enstone Sports was reformed in 1960 with John Hawtin joining the committee. Henry joined a couple of years later and went on to become chairman in the mid-60s, before becoming President, a position he held until his death.
The Enstone Parish website is well worth a visit. There are many photos similar to the one below, showing Enstone as it was in days gone by.
In fact, let's start with that to give a little more background about the cup, its history and the current competition status. Following my recent visit for the Stonesfield v Chadlington game, Rob kindly did some research regarding my questions about the origin of the cup, and was able to speak with John Hawtin, who kindly hand-wrote a short history:
Henry Hawtin was born in 1914 and started working for Worth's Motor Services in 1928, selling cycles and cars in Enstone. Worth's Garage is still a thriving business in Enstone to this day. One of Henry's jobs was to take the Oxford University rugby team to matches, including the Varsity Game held in London every year. He did this for 30 years and was awarded a silver salver for long service after 25 years. He continued driving the buses until his death from a heart attack in the late 1980s.
Enstone Sports was reformed in 1960 with John Hawtin joining the committee. Henry joined a couple of years later and went on to become chairman in the mid-60s, before becoming President, a position he held until his death.
The Enstone Parish website is well worth a visit. There are many photos similar to the one below, showing Enstone as it was in days gone by.
Photo from the Historic Enstone gallery on the Enstone Parish website. Well worth a visit.
Enstone Sports originally played at Church Enstone. In 1980 the parish council purchased the current ground, at which the club has played since.
When Henry passed away his wife, Lil, took over the role of President of the club. They had three children, all of whom are still involved with the club in some way. The Hawtin's also had six grandchildren, five boys and a girl. In 1991 four of them played in the final for Enstone and one ran the line. The match was against Hook Norton, Enstone ending victorious after a monumental tussle that went to extra-time and penalties. The Hawtin grandchildren were then presented the cup by their grandmother.
So, as you can see, the name Hawtin is very much associated with Enstone Sports and Enstone in general. It's very fitting that this competition keeps alive both Henry's and the family's name. Long may it continue.
This years' competition features ten teams in two groups of five. The top two from each group then progress to the semi-finals ahead of the final, scheduled for Saturday 31st August.
Group A contains Adderbury Park, Charlbury Town, Deddington Town, Heyford Athletic and Spartan Rangers.
Adderbury started the competition as most people's hot favourites, and are still in a good position to make the semi-final. However, their draw with Deddington has put some pressure on them. They key game could well be when Adderbury take on Heyford in just over a week. Prior to this evening's game, the table looked like this:
When Henry passed away his wife, Lil, took over the role of President of the club. They had three children, all of whom are still involved with the club in some way. The Hawtin's also had six grandchildren, five boys and a girl. In 1991 four of them played in the final for Enstone and one ran the line. The match was against Hook Norton, Enstone ending victorious after a monumental tussle that went to extra-time and penalties. The Hawtin grandchildren were then presented the cup by their grandmother.
So, as you can see, the name Hawtin is very much associated with Enstone Sports and Enstone in general. It's very fitting that this competition keeps alive both Henry's and the family's name. Long may it continue.
This years' competition features ten teams in two groups of five. The top two from each group then progress to the semi-finals ahead of the final, scheduled for Saturday 31st August.
Group A contains Adderbury Park, Charlbury Town, Deddington Town, Heyford Athletic and Spartan Rangers.
Adderbury started the competition as most people's hot favourites, and are still in a good position to make the semi-final. However, their draw with Deddington has put some pressure on them. They key game could well be when Adderbury take on Heyford in just over a week. Prior to this evening's game, the table looked like this:
| P | W | D | L | GD | Pts | |
| Heyford Athletic | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 6 |
| Adderbury Park | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 |
| Charlbury Town | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 3 |
| Deddington Town | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | -2 | 1 |
| Spartan Rangers | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | -7 | 0 |
Group B features Chadlington, Ducklington, Milton, Stonesfield and Witney Royals. As it stands, Chadlington have won all three of their games so far, guaranteeing themselves a spot in the last four. Ducklington sit in second spot but Milton, who have played only once, could leapfrog them with their game in hand. Witney look to be out of the running after losing their opening two games.
| P | W | D | L | GD | Pts | |
| Chadlington | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 9 |
| Ducklington | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| Milton | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Stonesfield | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | -1 | 1 |
| Witney Royals | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | -8 | 0 |
So, on to this evening's game and, as I said before, a somewhat truncated overview of the game.
In all fairness, this wasn't the most entertaining game of football I have ever watched. Added to that, I don't have a way to translate shirt numbers to player names. Two reasons that the match review is shorter than normal.
Heyford, kicking down the slight slope, were the first to show calling the Charlbury keeper into action within the first ten minutes and, generally, having the lion's share of possession. However, the first big chance fell to Charlbury, just before the quarter hour mark, when a through ball set their right winger free, only to be thwarted by a strong block from the Heyford goalkeeper. Charlbury then had a header cleared off the line from the resulting corner.
Those two chances aside, it was still Heyford who were just edging what was a fairly even match-up. The Charlbury keeper being called into action more often than his counterpart.
Clear cut chances, however, were few and far between at either end.
HT Charlbury Town 0 Heyford Athletic 0. A relatively even contest, edged by Heyford. There's no real flow to the game for either team, not helped by constant stoppages and an increasingly gusty wind. It can only get better.
In all fairness, this wasn't the most entertaining game of football I have ever watched. Added to that, I don't have a way to translate shirt numbers to player names. Two reasons that the match review is shorter than normal.
Heyford, kicking down the slight slope, were the first to show calling the Charlbury keeper into action within the first ten minutes and, generally, having the lion's share of possession. However, the first big chance fell to Charlbury, just before the quarter hour mark, when a through ball set their right winger free, only to be thwarted by a strong block from the Heyford goalkeeper. Charlbury then had a header cleared off the line from the resulting corner.
Those two chances aside, it was still Heyford who were just edging what was a fairly even match-up. The Charlbury keeper being called into action more often than his counterpart.
Clear cut chances, however, were few and far between at either end.
HT Charlbury Town 0 Heyford Athletic 0. A relatively even contest, edged by Heyford. There's no real flow to the game for either team, not helped by constant stoppages and an increasingly gusty wind. It can only get better.
The second half started with Charlbury taking the initiative. Two very early chances went missing. A fizzed ball across the face of goal just needed a touch, but no-one could provide it. Then the Heyford stopper made a decent save to keep another effort out. Heyford's impetus from the first half seemed o have left them for the time being, as Town took more control of possession., without unduly stressing the goalkeeper.
As Charlbury prepared to make a substitution, by bringing on the player who had been running the line, we were treated to one of the most grassroots images I think I have ever seen. The two Charlbury players who had come off earlier were nursing niggles, so a supporter was drafted in to take over the flag, which he did whilst still wearing his sunglasses and carrying the pint he had been supping on the sidelines. To be fair to him, I don't think he spilled a drop even when having to keep up with play.
Charlbury proceeded to waste one of the more clear cut chances, blazing a close range effort over, before Heyford began to get back into the game in the final ten minutes. This was probably the most entertaining period of the game. Heyford tested the Charlbury goalkeeper and saw a shot fly narrowly over before, at the other end, Charlbury came closest of all with a curling effort from Craig McCallum (thanks again Rob) that clipped the post on its way out.
FT Charlbury Town 0 Heyford Athletic 0. A point apiece, which is probably far more useful to Heyford than Charlbury. However, it sets up the Group A table nicely for the remaining fixtures and makes the Adderbury v Heyford fixture even more important. The result lifts Charlbury into second place in the table. However, they now only have one remaining game, against Deddington.
As Charlbury prepared to make a substitution, by bringing on the player who had been running the line, we were treated to one of the most grassroots images I think I have ever seen. The two Charlbury players who had come off earlier were nursing niggles, so a supporter was drafted in to take over the flag, which he did whilst still wearing his sunglasses and carrying the pint he had been supping on the sidelines. To be fair to him, I don't think he spilled a drop even when having to keep up with play.
Charlbury proceeded to waste one of the more clear cut chances, blazing a close range effort over, before Heyford began to get back into the game in the final ten minutes. This was probably the most entertaining period of the game. Heyford tested the Charlbury goalkeeper and saw a shot fly narrowly over before, at the other end, Charlbury came closest of all with a curling effort from Craig McCallum (thanks again Rob) that clipped the post on its way out.
FT Charlbury Town 0 Heyford Athletic 0. A point apiece, which is probably far more useful to Heyford than Charlbury. However, it sets up the Group A table nicely for the remaining fixtures and makes the Adderbury v Heyford fixture even more important. The result lifts Charlbury into second place in the table. However, they now only have one remaining game, against Deddington.
| P | W | D | L | GD | Pts | |
| Heyford Athletic | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 7 |
| Charlbury Town | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 4 |
| Adderbury Park | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 |
| Deddington Town | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | -2 | 1 |
| Spartan Rangers | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | -7 | 0 |
Both games I have seen so far have been very well attended. However, if you do get a chance to go along, I highly recommend it. It's a lovely club and the clubhouse is always open for matches. It's free to watch the games but I am sure Rob and the Enstone committee would appreciate all support.
Charlbury Town(Squad): Bradbury, McCallum, Lang, Nimmo, Goode, Hornblow, Robertson, Caws, Nutt, M.Fitzgerald, Williams, Eley, S.Fitzgerald
Heyford Athletic(Squad): Ingram, Badland, Dudley, Roberts, Campbell, Fletcher, Cameron, Bonito, Dawe, Gosling, Flarry, Stimson, Chambers, Spaenij
Ground Number: Re-visit
Att:
Entrance: N/A
Programme: N/A
Charlbury Town(Squad): Bradbury, McCallum, Lang, Nimmo, Goode, Hornblow, Robertson, Caws, Nutt, M.Fitzgerald, Williams, Eley, S.Fitzgerald
Heyford Athletic(Squad): Ingram, Badland, Dudley, Roberts, Campbell, Fletcher, Cameron, Bonito, Dawe, Gosling, Flarry, Stimson, Chambers, Spaenij
Ground Number: Re-visit
Att:
Entrance: N/A
Programme: N/A
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