Reading Chronicle | Sport | Cookham celebrations put on hold

Published: Monday, 7th April, 2008 11:00

Cookham celebrations put on hold

Unity made the perfect start when they won a free-kick 25 yards from goal with the prolific Haniv Maine rifling an unstoppable shot into the top corner in the first minute.

And they almost added to their lead on the half hour when awarded another free kick in a dangerous position but this time Maine’s well struck effort produced a fantastic save from Cookham keeper Mark Ramsey as he palmed the ball away for a corner at full stretch.

Jon Schaaf went close with a good effort before Cookham finally made the breakthrough they deserved when another high ball into the box forced the visitors’ keeper to help the ball into the back of his own net.

The elusive winner failed to materialise for Cookham and it means an anxious wait as Marlow Utd Res play their four games in hand before the clubs meet in the last game of the season.

Referee Steve McMahon enjoyed an excellent match and on at least one occasion the game looked like boiling over but the official displayed all his experience to keep the sides in check.

Marlow Utd Res travelled to Wokingham & Emmbrook A and returned with all three points as efforts from Greg Murphy (2), Vinny Cuva and Andrew West saw them to a 4-2 victory.

Division One

With both Goring Utd Res and Radstock in danger of joining bottom placed Hurst Res in Division Two next term, gaining the points from their relegation clash was vital to both sides.

And it was Goring who completed their Division One campaign in style with Sam King and a Sam Green penalty edging them to a 2-1 victory. Seb Brock replied for the Reading side and they can still overhaul Goring if they can collecting eight points from their remaining five games.

Division Two

Berks County Sports Res have assured themselves of at least runners-up spot in Division Two as they completed their campaign with a convincing 5-1 success against local rivals Sonning.

James Bunnett led the way with a hat-trick with Paul Lomas and Richard Pilkington also finding the net.

Jim Jones replied for Sonning and Sports will now sit back hoping that second-placed Berinsfield FC fail to gain the two points they need from their final two games to overhaul them.

Woodley Town Res’ hopes of a top two position ended a couple of weeks ago but they were involved in a seven goal shootout against local rivals Twyford & Ruscombe which they edged by the odd goal.

This thrilling encounter also featured two disallowed goals and Woodley’s winner arrived with the last kick of the match.

Twyford took advantage of a sloppy pass from Woodley’s Mark Caudle to open the scoring on 10 minutes through Alex Bennett. But Woodley were soon back on level terms when a long goal-kick from keeper Stuart Neave was controlled by Paul Wilder who turned his defender before coolly slotting past the keeper.

And Woodley took the lead when Caudle

atoned for his earlier error when his 25 yard free-kick sailed into the net.

They added a third on 35 minutes when the influential Caudle took another excellent corner which allowed centre back Andrew Bannerman to rifle the ball into the net at the second attempt for his first goal for the club.

The second half saw Twyford step up the pace and they quickly drew level with Bennett adding his second of the game while Tom Bray also found the target.

The game was heading for a draw when Michael Wesley to ran onto a great pass and steered the ball past the advancing keeper for his first ever goal for the club.

Relegated Wargrave gained only their fourth point of the season as a Matt Carr hat-trick saw them to a 3-3 draw at fellow strugglers Woodcote/Stoke Row Res who replied through Greg Damalis, Graham Storey and Rob Lynch.

Division Three

Division Three champions Barton Rovers found their final game of the season at relegated Compton scratched by the already relegated West Berkshire outfit.

Meanwhile two Matthew McDonnell efforts gave Highmoor/Ibis A a share of the spoils in a 2-2 draw against Wokingham & Emmbrook B.

Woodley Town A completed their campaign with 4-2 win at Wokingham Wanderers to reach manager John Mailer’s target of 30 points.

Woodley took an early lead against the run of play when Ben Gonzalez surged down the right and his low cross was turned in by Mailer for his 10th of the season.

And despite playing poorly they found themselves two goals ahead on 20 minutes when Gonzalez again made ground before crossing for Jack Francis to sidefoot home for his first goal for the club.

The visitors added a third on 33 minutes when a cross was helped on by Francis to Kane Singer who rifled a deflected shot home for his first of the season.

Wokingham fought back and reduced the arrears before the interval when a free kick was met by an unmarked Michael Shrimpton who headed in at the far post.

And the hosts added a second just after the break when keeper Russell Cleverly made a good save with the rebound falling at the feet of Phil Gibbs. But he dwelt on the ball too long allowing Paul Kilmartin to steal in and find the net.

However, it was Woodley who had the final say when substitute Jon Pitt won a free kick with 15 minutes remaining and Singer stepped up to place it in the top corner from 25 yards to put the game beyond Wokingham’s reach.

Division Four

Turnpike Sports completed their first season in the Reading League with a thrilling odd goal in nine victory against Sonning Res to finish their Division Four campaign in third place.

As so often this season Mark Davies led the way with a hat-trick with Mark Foad and Ian Page also on target while Adrian Edwards (2), Ian Burnett and Richard Cole replied for Sonning.

Another side in their first season in the league are Reading YMCA Rapids who completed their campaign with a classy performance against second-placed Berinsfield FC Res to seal a 4-1 win which guarantees them a fourth placed finish.

Despite this defeat Berinsfield will be playing Division Three football next term as they have finished as runners up to champions Bell & Bottle.

The Rapids started the game confidently and it was Chris Lemm who broke the deadlock when he squeezed a left foot shot into the bottom corner on 20 minutes. Lemm then turned provider when his cross deceived the Berinsfield defence allowing Lee Worth to volley home in clinical fashion.

The Rapids defence was looking comfortable but just before half time a misplaced pass by the Rapids allowed Jon Welch to slot the ball past Rapids keeper Ian Harvey.

Rapids boss Paul O’Boyle brought on Dean Williams at the start of the second half and it proved to be a masterstroke as he raced onto a deflected Lemm pass to sidefoot home with his first touch of the game.

The fourth goal duly arrived when a long Harvey goal kick was met by striker Steve Woodrow who lobbed the ball over the advancing keeper.

Newbury FC Res will end up in fifth position as they romped to a 7-1 hiding of luckless Winnersh Rangers, whose season has fallen apart after an encouraging start.

Luke Ramos helped himself to a hat-trick with Jamie Hines (2), Carl Taylor and Jon Mayne also on target for Newbury. Alex Seagrove notched the Rangers consolation.

The Cup scene

Struggling Reading Senior Division side Woodcote/Stoke Row travelled to Marlow Utd for their quarter-final replay in the Reading Evening Post Senior Cup and produced a valiant display before making their exit with a 2-1 defeat.

Marlow are flying high in Division One (East) of the Hellenic League and were confidently expected to advance after the tie at Woodcote was abandoned at 2-2 at the end of 90 minutes.

But after a close opening the first clearcut opportunity did not arrive for the hosts until the 40th minute when James Flint header from Doug Buchanan’s corner skimmed off the crossbar.

But with the tie in the fourth minute of injury-time at the end of the first half Marlow finally took the lead. A cross from the right found Lewis Brown whose header was cleared off the line by Jake Dillon only to fall to Buchanan who picked his spot from 15 yards.

Marlow started the second half on top and Ollie Flint saw his effort saved, before the same player combined with Brown, who released Callum Coull only for his shot to rebound from the woodwork.

Buchanan, Flint and Brown all wasted chances before the visitors stunned the home team with an equaliser on 61 minutes. A long ball was only partially cleared by the Marlow defence to the feet of Marc Edward-Smith who unleashed a screamer past the stranded Adam Cooper from fully 25 yards.

Buoyed by this success the Reading League side grew in confidence and Dillon saw his effort scrape the Marlow crossbar.

But Woodcote were only on level terms for six minutes before Chris Rowley’s floated free-kick was turned into his own net by the unfortunate Duncan Holder to restore Marlow’s lead.

Far from being deflated Woodcote continued to trouble the Hellenic League outfit and on 84 minutes a Michael Butcher cross found an unmarked Jake Dillon whose shot from just six yards flew over the bar and with it went their last chance to take the game into extra time. Marlow take on Frilsham & Yattendon in the last four.

South Reading’s tremendous season continued as they reached their second cup final of the season with a 3-0 win over Park Utd to advance into the final of the Berkshire Trophy Centre Intermediate Cup.

Former Reading Town striker Danny Seaward struck twice with Javies Catlyn also on target.

South Reading have already progressed into the final of the Berks & Bucks Junior Cup Final which will be played on April 19 and they can achieve a unique treble as they are hot favourites to collect the Reading League Division One title.

Their opponents in the Intermediate Cup final will be fellow Division One side REME (Arborfield) as the Army side put a disappointing league campaign behind them to defeat Division Two newcomers Berinsfield FC 3-1.

Alex Charles, Paul Dennis and Marcus Killick were the REME marksmen with Andy Sampson replying for the Oxford outfit.

See this week's Reading for full Senior Division round-up

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