A look at the action from the weekend, focussing on a few key points you might have missed.
38 up for Freya and Clodagh
Ascot United Ladies Reserves top-goalscorers Freya Johnson and Clodagh Farrell have hit a combined 38 goals this season as the Yellawomen’s second-string side sealed promotion a week ago. Clodagh scored twice on Sunday as Ascot beat Hillingdon Abbots Seniors Ladies 6-0 at the Racecourse Ground, closing the gap to two goals on Johnson (who didn’t play) who is the team and the Thames Valley Women’s Football League Division Three East top-scorer.
Bracknell Town promise statement soon
The MP for Bracknell, James Sunderland, has been to visit Sandhurst Town and Bracknell Town’s ground at Bottom Meadow to discuss ‘our vision for sports and higher education in the borough.’
The club has said a statement will be released in due course.
Meanwhile, on the pitch, any concerns of a Robins wobble after defeat to Chertsey Town two weeks ago were quickly brushed aside as Bracknell’s new signing from Ashford Town (Middlesex) Aaron McLeish-White scored twice on his debut to give Bobby Wilkinson’s side a 2-0 win at Chipstead.
As ever, Ben Martin-Dye did make us laugh.
Burghfield exit FA Sunday Cup
It wasn’t to be for the Fielders on Sunday, the clubs Reading & District Sunday League side were aiming to emulate West Berkshire neighbours Theale and win the prestigious competition but sadly they were beaten 2-0 in Barnet.
The game was level at half-time but Highgate Albion scored in the 57th minute and followed that up on 71. Teo Atik did have the ball in the net a few minutes later but it was ruled out for a foul on the goalkeeper.
Shinfield (Win-field!) post impressive double
Shinfield Rangers Women are top of the TVCWFL Development Division and have now posted impressive back-to-back 8-0 wins over Thatcham & Newbury Town Ladies and Girls and Easington Sports Ladies Development – their previous fixture to this 16-goal double was only 7-0 but it’s fair to say going through the teams scores this season, promotion and a stronger challenge should be inevitable.
Chloe Bagshaw and Lauren Gotting lead the way in the teams goalscoring charts while Iman Karamat scored five goals across the teams two 8-0 wins.
The inside scoop on Craig Burley
We weren’t expecting a local angle on the furore of Craig Burley sucking the joy out of football over the weekend. To be honest we’d also assumed it was the former Ipswich Town and Scotland boss ‘George’ that was being quoted – so unfamiliar were we with ‘Craig’ [though Wikipedia states they are related] – as saying: “Whilst Chelsea were winning that plastic cup and it was lapped up like a World Cup win. Man City were racking up a sixteen point gap on them, in a competition that really matters. Let that sink in.”
Now, you might find this an odd concept, but winning a football match is the pinnacle of the 90 minutes, we reckon, you can argue this in the comments if you like, but winning a match that results in lifting either a silver or gold object is sort of the point, especially for professional footballers.
Anyway, the local angle, well Nick Crittenden (ex-Chelsea, Yeovil Town), brother of our wonderful podcast guest and former Bracknell Town, Binfield and Windsor striker Adam, piped up on Twitter with a gem: “I never liked Craig Burley much anyway… Used to clean his boots as an apprentice, the going rate for a Christmas bonus was £50 and he gave me £30. Ruud Gullit gave me £180..”
All the sevens
It wasn’t a great day for a couple of our Berkshire clubs in the Combined Counties League Division One at the weekend. Both Chalvey Sports and Woodley United conceded seven without reply. Chalvey suffered their fate away at Hillingdon Borough while it was Sandhurst Town who inflicted the pain on Woodley United.
Both clubs and Langley have some work to do to get clear of the bottom of the table and are well in touch with British Airways in 15th in the 20 team division. An FA statement shows that clubs finishing in the bottom three of a step 6 division are liable to relegation depending on applications from step 7 clubs.
Transfers spring up as Ascot United lose Laflin and Binfield and Wokingham & Emmbrook make additions
A little bit of a surprise this one on Saturday afternoon as Harry Laflin left Ascot where he was top-scorer for Combined Counties League Premier Division South Guildford City who had just appointed former Leatherhead manager Nikki Bull as their new boss – Bull had previously taken Laflin to the Tanners on dual registration.
There were also a couple of additions elsewhere, Binfield brought in Danny Campion, though we’ll have to wait for a late winner from him rather than a 78th-minute consolation before we can break out the ‘Danny the Campion of the World’ headline, and Wokingham & Emmbrook signed Toby Raggett.
