Welcome to our weekly roundup of Berkshire’s good and bad as we pick out some of the moments, performances, and narratives from around our counties football. Who had a week to remember? Who had a week to forget? Find out all you need to know below.
Good Week
Maidenhead United
An obvious place to start. Last week Maidenhead were in the Bad Week section. They were the only side in the National League without a point, having lost their first three games including a 4-0 home defeat at the hands of Hartlepool United last Saturday. I wrote “It doesn’t get any easier for Maidenhead as they have two tough away games this week; tonight (Monday) at Wrexham before playing Notts County on Saturday”
What do I know?
A week later and Maidenhead are up to 12th in the table having taken 6 points from the two away games. On Monday a Josh Coley header was enough to give the Magpies all three points after a determined performance at Wrexham, then on Saturday, they came from behind twice to eventually run out 3-2 victors at Meadow Lane against Notts County with Orsi-Dadomo getting the winner with his first goal for the club. Two fantastic performances that places them firmly in the Good this week
Ascot United Ladies
Ascot United Ladies stated were another side looking for a response after a narrow 1-0 defeat to Woodley United in their season opener, and it is safe to say they got one. The Yellawomen went 1-0 down in their home game against Warsash Wasps Women but they were already 6-1 when the halftime whistle blew and finished the game 10-1 winners.
Freya Johnson’s third and Ascot’s seventh goal:
Woodley also managed a 6-2 win at Newbury so the top of the Southern Region Women’s Football League Premier Division has a strong Berkshire feel to it.
Goals galore in the Thames Valley Premier League Division One
Talking of crazy score lines, take a look at the results from the TVPL Division One this weekend:
Only one of the 10 teams in action failed to score and four teams scored 6 or more. Hats off to FC Imaan Lions and Slough Heating Laurencians (the division’s two best named teams) for scoring 7 in their wins but what a game at Summerleaze Park! It’s not often that both teams need to have their scores spelt out on the TVPL vidiprinter Holyport Reserves 6 (SIX) Wargrave 7 (SEVEN).
Somehow Holyport have managed to score 8 goals in their first two games and still end up with no points and a -2 goal difference. Madness.
#EastisBest
Those of you who listen to East Meets West (a show about all things Hellenic League, every Monday night at 8pm ish) will know that we at Football in Berkshire have a bit of a friendly rivalry going with Severn Sports, our Gloucestershire based counterparts, over which region is superior.
Well for the moment East is winning the debate. Wins for Binfield and Reading City see them open a 5 point gap at the top of the Hellenic Premier Division to Flackwell Heath in third place. Binfield’s win came against Gloucestershire opposition in the form of fellow promotion contenders Fairford Town, who started the day in third. The Moles’ 3-1 win means the tally of head to head games involving the two counties we keep on the show has also nudged further in Berkshire’s favour.
Berkshire’s Women’s FA Cup fairy-tale
Maidenhead United Women left it late, but they are in the hat for the Women’s FA Cup Third Round Qualifying draw. The Magpies secured a 1-0 win over Denham United Ladies thanks to an injury time winner from Natalie Barnes
Their reward is a trip to face Fulham FC Ladies with the winner progressing to the first round proper.
Bad Week
Berkshire’s FA Cup Fairy-tale
While Maidenhead were flying the flag in the women’s competition, Berkshire’s two representatives in the FA Cup Third Qualifying Round were knocked out. Slough Town went out after losing 1-0 at home to Bath and Bracknell were defeated 5-1 at Haringey Borough.
Maidenhead United come into the competition in the next round and there is obviously still Reading to join in the 3rd Round so anyone hoping to see Berkshire’s first ever FA Cup victory is down to two hopefuls.
Referee Ed Turner
Shortly after half time in the Binfield vs Fairford Town game at Hill Farm Lane, Binfield midfielder Jack Broome made a tackle on a counterpart that could be described as robust. The referee has a word with Broome but doesn’t seem to be taking any further action, to which the visiting fans cry out “What’s the matter ref? Left your cards in the changing room?”
It very quickly becomes apparent that Ed Turner has in fact left his cards in the changing room.
He tells Broome to stay where he is while he goes to get a spare set of cards from his assistant so he can book him.
As you can imagine the crowd were not especially sympathetic to Turner’s mistake and his embarrassment was heightened when after running across the pitch to one assistant only to find that he had no cards either, he had to run all the way back to the other side of the pitch to pick up some cards from his other assistant before finally booking Broome.
Not his finest hour.
Anyone hoping to see a top of the table clash in the TVCWFL Div 3E
Just to be clear this is not a dig at any of the rules around coronavirus cases, or the clubs that have had to postpone games, more that it is a bad week for not getting to see our teams in action for this reason. One of the big misses was Penn & Tylers Green vs Slough Town FC Ladies that was due to take place at French School Meadows on Sunday. Both sides boast 100% records so far this season, so the stage was set for a big showdown. Hopefully the two sides can remain unbeaten until the rearranged fixture as it would certainly add some spice to the fixture.
Sam Barratt’s former employers
Ever break up with someone just to find they are doing perfectly well without you while you struggle with not having them around?
Newbury Ladies
Newbury Ladies have not had the best start to the season. 3 games played in all competitions, 3 defeats and 6 goals conceded in each. Their latest defeat came on Sunday when they lost 6-2 to Woodley United and they are only off the bottom on goals scored. Next up they have trips to Winchester City Flyers and Wycombe Wanderers where they need to start picking up some points otherwise it will be a long season ahead.
