Good Week
Slough Town and Bracknell Town
Slough and Bracknell are in the hat for the Third Qualifying Round of the FA Cup which means they are firmly in Good Week territory. Slough left it very late to secure an away victory at Dartford with their winner and the only goal of the game coming from the spot in the 92nd minute through Jack McKnight.
Bracknell would have been slightly concerned to give up a two-goal lead for the second time in a week but that was all forgotten when they beat Isthmian South Central rivals Marlow in a penalty shoot-out to make it through.
Bracknell have been drawn away at Haringey Borough and Slough will be at home to Bath City in the next round.
Related: Bracknell Town vs Marlow report
Slough Town Ladies (especially their second half)
A side that look like they might become regulars in the Good column, Slough made it three wins from three in the league with a thumping of Hillingdon Abbots Ladies. Leading 2-1 at the break, the Rebels turned on the style in the second half and added 8 (EIGHT) unanswered goals making the final score 10-1. Slough play Wokingham & Emmbrook Ladies at home next weekend before making a trip to the division’s only other undefeated side, Penn & Tylers Green Ladies, in a fortnight. That already looks to a game that will give us a good indication as to which way the title will be going this season.
National League, Thames Valley Premier League, Sunday League
Fans of sides in the National League, Thames Valley Premier League and Reading or Bracknell Sunday Leagues will have been looking on in envy as clubs at all levels started their seasons over the past 5 weeks but their clubs have now kicked off their seasons (for the most part; more of that later). Welcome to the party!
Related: Reading Sunday League round-up | Bracknell Sunday League round-up
Binfield
A week ago Binfield would have been looking ahead to two tough fixtures with a growing number of players out with injury or suspension. On Tuesday night the Moles came from behind to win at home to table-topping Flackwell Heath with Elliott Legg getting the winning goal.
That result lifted Binfield to second in the table and on Saturday they made the long trip to Gloucestershire to face the team in third, Bishops Cleeve. A goal in each half from captain Sean Moore gave the Moles all three points and saw them rise to the top of the table.
Two wins from two and finishing the week at looking down on the rest of the league; a good week.
Bracknell’s ground staff
I’ve mentioned the success of the football team but Bracknell’s groundstaff deserve a mention too for their fine work on Saturday in getting the game on. At 9 am the game was in serious doubt as Bracknell’s 3G pitch was heavily waterlogged, but thanks to their efforts the match went ahead, and Bracknell are though to the next round. It’s a team effort.
S4K FC Berks County Ladies
Becoming the first side to take points off Wallingford Town AFC Ladies by beating them 4-1 certainly gets S4K Berks County a mention in the good column, even if there were no match updates due to the Admin having other priorities
Bad Week
Maidenhead United and Hungerford Town
To paraphrase Danny Barker, you hope and you plan and you fantasise all summer, and in 90 minutes it is hello football reality.
Maidenhead and Hungerford have been used to battling at the wrong end of their respective divisions in the last couple of years, but both sets of fans would have been forgiven for feeling a bit more optimistic about the upcoming season.
Both clubs have made several signings to excite their supporters, notably Maidenhead resigned winger Sam Barratt and Hungerford appointed highly rated Danny Robinson as manager, but both sides suffered defeats in their opening competitive fixtures. Maidenhead lost 3-0 away at Sutton United and Hungerford were knocked out of the FA Cup, losing 4-0 to Truro City in Cornwall.
Both sides have home league games on Tuesday night where they can look to change their fortunes.
Read more: Berkshire fixtures for Tuesday 6th October
Players post-match hospitality
A bad week for players and staff who want to get a bit of food after a midweek game. As most readers will know, it is the responsibility of the home side to provide some post-match hospitality, so the away team don’t go home hungry. Well due to the new Covid restrictions all those rules and regulations for midweek fixtures have been suspended meaning players may have to head home with an empty stomach. Hopefully, a packed lunch can be provided, or it will mean a lot of business for Berkshire’s takeaway joints.
Holyport Ladies
Some days you are the hammer and some you are the nail. Holyport’s home game against Procision Oxford Ladies was the only game to survive the weather in the TVCWFL Division 2 and the host might have been wishing for the heavens to open as they ended up on the wrong side of a 14-3 scoreline. Ouch.
Postponed matches
It’s that time of year again. Games in the Hellenic, Combined Counties, Thames Valley Premier League and Thames Valley Counties Women’s League were all cancelled due to Storm Alex. Yes, this is not an uncommon experience but with a condensed season and the looming threat of further lockdowns, it seems fixture congestion is on the horizon.
Ben Jefford
Not quite our patch but as far as debuts go, Ben Jefford will not look back fondly on his first 35 minutes for Basingstoke.
Basingstoke did manage to take a point in a 2-2 draw.
