Ascot United Ladies 2 Maidenhead United Women 1 Sunday 13th August 2023 Pre-season Friendly A short journey to another local club and a chance to catch up with two sides I followed several times over the course of last season. The corresponding weekend in 2022 I visited the Racecourse for my first ever women’s game with Ascot taking on Fulham in another pre-season friendly (I won’t mention the result!). This season local rivals from the FAWNL, Maidenhead United, were the visitors. A club I know well after seeing eleven of their matches in 22/23. Birthday boy and local football photography legend Andrew Batt drove to the game which meant I didn’t have the joys of public transport and a long walk to contend with this time, which was nice! Both sides were warming up as we arrived, both having a mixture of first and development team players with it still being holiday season and a with smattering of injuries in both camps. The game began with a good run down the right flank by the Magpies Izzy Davis led to an early corner, this was played short and cleared easily. Ascot had their first chance with Hayley Cruickshank latching onto a ball over the top it looked like she’d gone clear but the covering defender recovered well to clear. It wasn’t long before the hosts were ahead, Farrah Yewings (hope I’ve got that right!) made a run down the right and swung in a cross shot which drifted over Kenny Clarke in the Magpies goal, nestling just inside the far post. 1-0 Maidenhead fought back after the early setback winning a corner on the right. Simone O’Brien hit a beauty to the far post where Amy Saunders was well marshalled by two defenders and just couldn’t get a firm enough touch to force it over the line. Shortly after another O’Brien outswinging corner was controlled well by Ruth Topping who passed it through to Izzy Stockton with the ball ending up in the net before being ruled out for offside. Yewings was looking dangerous down the right and again outpaced the Maidenhead defence before striking a fierce drive across Clarke which drifted agonisingly just wide of the far post. Next a nice move involving Yehings and Cruickshank found Philippa Holden free on the edge of the area but her shot was well blocked. Just before half time Ascot doubled their lead. A free kick near the halfway line on the left was launched into the area, Clarke came out to claim but spilled the ball and it dropped to Cruickshank who knocked the ball into the empty net. 2-0 H-T: Ascot United 2 Maidenhead United 0 Maidenhead were looking to step it up in the second half and it wasn’t long before they fashioned a chance. A driving run by Topping found Stockton, she went past a couple of players, her pass finding Natalie Cowell on the edge of the box. She twisted and turned trying to find a yard and found enough space to get a shot away but it drifted wide of the goal. The visitors were now having the lion’s share of possession but were struggling to make any clear cut chances and with Ascot’s pace on the break they still looked dangerous. Out of nothing the referee pointed to the spot, adjudging an Ascot infringement in the area. Cowell took the penalty but saw her spot kick well saved by the Ascot keeper. Ascot came back and had a couple of breaks which were pulled up for offside, one especially looked a tight call. Maidenhead put some fresh legs on and the introduction of Gemma Luke and Jade Hockey in particular seemed to make an impact. Hockey picked up a loose ball outside the area, controlled nicely and fired a shot which went just over the bar. Hockey was involved again as the visitors pushed to get back into the match. Ascot’s defence were guilty of trying to overplay in their own 18 yard box with Izzy Davis closing them down, Hockey intercepted the ball on the edge of the area and chipped a beauty over the keeper and into the far corner. 2-1 Maidenhead poured forward seeking an equaliser with another substitute, Vicky Collett, having a couple of efforts off target before another great run from Topping from inside her own half, finding Hockey but this time she skewed her effort wide. F-T: Ascot United 2 Maidenhead United 1 A good run out for both teams and an entertaining game. Ascot look a strong side and with plenty of quality players to come back in, will be hopeful of another successful season. Standout players for the hosts for me were Farrah Yewings, Hayley Cruickshank and Kate Fox, a midfielder who won most of the midfield battles, especially in the first half. Maidenhead will have learnt a lot from the game too, good performances from Simone O’Brien whose set pieces were always dangerous, Isaac Gregory looks a composed and tidy defender who covers well, Izzy Davis, Ruth Topping and Jade Hockey who so nearly changed the game after coming on. No doubt I’ll be catching up with both sides in the near future!

Bracknell Town 3 Hungerford Town 1 Tuesday 15th August 2023 Southern League Premier South It’s always a fun to return to Bracknell Town, a team I’ve followed on and off since the mid to late 1970’s. Now situated in neighbouring Sandhurst at the redeveloped Bottom Meadow ground, the Robins are now on an upward trajectory and looking to rise further through the leagues. They finished second in the Southern League Premier South last season but, with only the champions being promoted by right, they had to go through the lottery of the play-offs where they eventually lost out 3-2 to Truro City in the final. The journey over was just a short bus ride for me and, upon entry to the ground, I had my first chance to check out the impressive newly laid all weather surface. The club had to source an alternative source for the surface from Scandanavia as they couldn’t use the usual black pellet type due to local ecological concerns. It does look good and will hopefully mean they won’t have a repeat of the fixture congestion suffered by both Bracknell and especially Sandhurst at the end of last season. A trip to Bracknell is always a pleasure, it’s great to have a chance to catch up with Robins legends, ex- players and long standing supporters I’ve known for many years from my Bracknell Town past. Anyway, onto the game which started at a frenetic pace. Hungerford, playing at this level for the first time in six years following their relegation from the Natinal League South, started brightly with the pace of Fabio Lopes causing the Robins defence some early problems. The game was flowing from end to end and Bracknell took an early lead 11 minutes in when Joe Grant got on the end of a headed defensive clearance in the six yard box to nod the ball home. There looked to be the hint of a push by Grant on the defender in the run up to the goal but it went unseen by the officials. 1-0 The lead only lasted 4 minutes as Lopes latched onto a ball over the top, beating Bracknell keeper Michael Eacott to the ball and getting enough on the ball for it to loop into the empty net. 1-1 The Robins front line were looking dangerous and on 22 minutes retook the lead, a lovely build up culminating in a composed finish from livewire Nana Owusu, a recent signing from Dulwich Hamlet. 2-1 The end to end nature of the game continued through an entertaining first half with both sides using their pacy forwards to create chances but there were no further additions to the scoreline. H-T: Bracknell Town 2 Hungerford Town 1 The second half began as the first ended with both sides making chances, the visitors coming closest with an effort which sailed high, wide and not so handsome. Seven minutes in, Owusu and Grant linked up well down the left flank with the latter knocking the ball towards the byline where he was sent sprawling under a challenge from the Hungerford centre back. The referee was just 5 yards away from the incident and pointed straight to the spot. It looked a soft penalty from where I was standing but Grant was clipped and the referee had no doubt so despite all the protestations the penalty was given. Jordan Esprit stepped up and calmly slotted the spotkick home before celebrating with the home fans. 3-1 Hungerford pushed to get back in the game but created just a couple of half chances, on 65 minutes the Crusaders had probably their best chance but once again the shot went sailing over the bar from 6 yards out. Esprit came close when breaking clear but saw his shot well saved by Clarke in the visitors goal. On 75 minutes a Hungerford defender (Baker?) went down with what looked a nasty injury and brought all the physios racing on. After a delay of four to five minutes he was carried off and hopefully his injury won’t be too serious and he makes a quick recovery. Bracknell managed to see out the rest of the game and take the vital three points against local and likely promotion rivals. For the Robins, Grant and Esprit impressed as did Lopes for the Crusaders but Nana Owusu take my player of the match. He has great touch and pace, good vision and is a great outlet for picking up clearances and holding up the ball to relieve pressure. He took his goal well and looked a constant danger throughout the match. F-T: Bracknell Town 3 Hungerford Town 1

Woodley United 1 British Airways 0 Saturday 19th August 2023 Combined Counties League Division One The second Saturday of my 23/24 campaign and due to health restrictions it meant a second visit to Scours Lane in a week, to this time visit Woodley United at the Rivermoor Stadium. The journey over was interesting, a bus trip with a dodgy back and the state of our pothole riven roads was not a good combination! After spending some time catching up with a few of the wonderful people who keep the club running, I ventured into the bar for my first burger of the season, a soft drink and a read of the printed matchday programme. Today’s game was to be the second meeting of the season for Woodley and opponents British Airways, a peculiarity in the league fixture computer meant the two sides had found themselves pitted against each other over consecutive weekends. The previous Saturday, British Airways had run out comfortable 5-1 winners at their Bedfont base so this fixture looked to be a daunting one for the hosts. The first action in the match led to an early chance for Woodley, BA tried to play out from the back and pressure from Rafa Brandao led to him blocking a pass with the loose ball falling to the feet of Sid Gbla, his backheel found Brandao again running into the area but his snapshot went straight to captain Ben Clargo in the visitors goal. Airways had their first chance minutes later when, following smart link up play across the pitch, the ball fell nicely for Reece Keary just on the edge of the box and his first time effort was saved well by Finn Rushton at his near post. Woodley winger McKoy Palmer was in the thick of the action twice in the next few minutes. First he raced onto a through ball from Bakai Manneh and cut inside two challenges before seeing his shot blocked and, moments later, his trickery on the left gave him a yard to send a shot goalwards only to see it go straight to Clargo. The game was end to end with the home side just edging it and looking more dangerous in the final third. Manneh fired over from the edge of the area for Woodley and Mark Webb saw an effort go narrowly wide for British Airways before the telling moment in the game. A long throw on the right from Palmer was flicked on by Watkiss which caused panic in the BA defence, the ball bouncing into the six yard box and coming off the upright. As Clargo desperately tried to clear, Gbla reacted quickest to the rebound and managed to lift the ball into the roof of the net. 1-0 Right at the end of the half, Airways had a golden chance to equalise. A long ball down the middle was misjudged by the Woodley centre back and allowed to bounce leaving Maurad Jarraz clear on goal. Rushton came out quickly to narrow the angle forcing Jarraz to try for the corner only for the forward to blast his shot wide of the post. H-T: Woodley United 1 British Airways 0 The visitors started the second half on the front foot, forcing a flurry of corners early on which were defended well by the home defence, the closest they came was a header just over the bar from Shaun Aram. Woodley were still creating chances on the break, a lovely flowing move across the pitch involving Palmer, Gbla and Ben Lambourne found Connor Richardson in space on the right flank. Richardson clipped the ball across the 6 yard box finding Gbla who could only stab the ball wide under pressure. Richardson had a chance himself moments later but his effort was saved by the legs of Clargo. British Airways continued to press forward looking to level but a mixture of good defensive work from the hosts and their inability to cut through the staunch back line meant they were reduced to half chances. The latest of these, after good play in the build-up, saw substitute Ramine Griffith-Dubar blast the ball over the bar and an Alfie Finnan effort from distance well dealt with by Rushton. Woodley were defending deep but occasionally breaking with pace, another great run from Richardson who ghosted past a couple of defenders to the byline where he pulled the ball back across the 6 yard box towards Palmer but he just failed to get the touch that would have probably sealed the game. Both sides were reduced to ten men after first Manneh for Woodley and soon after, Aram for BA, were sin- binned. The visitors still pushed forward and forced one final chance at the death (9 minutes of added time) when a corner was flicked on at the near post and hit the junction of the post and bar and bounced away to safety. A “backs to the wall” display from Woodley for much of the second half but their defence played well, defending resolutely while also looking dangerous on the break. British Airways will probably feel they should have taken something from the game but they just couldn’t find a way to unlock the hosts defence. All in all, I think Woodley deserved the three points after a battling defensive display and they also had enough chances to win by a larger margin. F-T: Woodley United 1 British Airways 0

S4K Ladies 3 Kingsclere Ladies 2 Sunday 20th August 2023 Pre-season Friendly Like many people on this particular Sunday, I took the opportunity to watch history in the making by cheering on the Lionesses in the World Cup Final. I had originally planned to head off to Farnborough to see their brand new ladies team play in their first match at Cherrywood Road but a mixture of public transport worries and not being able to walk too far meant a late change in plans. This gave me the opportunity to watch the final at home before taking a short walk down to the Bracknell Leisure Centre to catch up with the S4K ladies. Unfortunately, the result was disappointing for the Lionesses and they couldn’t quite recreate the intensity they showed when beating hosts Australia in the semi final and Spain ended up worthy winners. Obviously losing the likes of Leah Williamson, Beth Mead and Fran Kirby before the finals left huge gaps to fill but Sarina Wiegman’s squad pulled together and did extraordinarily well to reach the final. Over the past couple of years they have truly built a legacy that has inspired so many women and girls of all ages to get involved in the game we all love so much. The women’s game looks to be in an upward trajectory and long may that continue! My late start to the season and the inability to travel too far has given me the chance to reconnect with some of the friendliest local clubs I visited several times during the course of the 22/23 season and this was to be no exception. It’s always a pleasure to come and visit S4K although, given my record of not seeing them win a game last season, I’m not sure they were that happy to see me! This was to be a friendly with a difference, playing three periods of 30 minutes instead of the standard two halves against local rivals Kingsclere. A mixture of injuries and holidays meant there were several new players I’d not seen since my last visit to S4K along with a change in the dugout. The hosts started with a new back four and it was fascinating watching and listening to boss Charisse Tregear coaching them throughout the game. Leanne Harkins opened the scoring for S4K with a smart finish followed by the impressive Tracey Beales levelling for Kingsclere. Kate Stewart restored the hosts lead only for Beales to again level the score. Then in the 3rd third, Kate Stewart struck what turned out to be the winner for the home side although the visitors did have a golden chance to level again late on but failed to take a good opportunity. The match was halted early due to what looked to be a nasty injury to one of the Kingsclere players, hopefully the injury won’t turn out to be as bad as it sounded and she can recover quickly. A good game and minutes in legs for two closely matched teams with both sides playing some nice football. The S4K stand-outs for me were Natalie Beeches, a solid defender who looked good going forward and showed good delivery from set pieces, Kate Stewart for her two goals and being a constant threat all game, Scarlett Keightley who looks a cultured midfielder with excellent ball skills and, putting on my goalkeepers union hat, Faye Caterer, who made some important saves especially in the latter stages as Kingsclere were pushing to level. For Kingsclere, the aforementioned Tracey Beales looks a good player, excellent link up play and took her opportunities well. Amy Cowan put in an all action display on her debut in women’s football, and, once again, the goalkeeper Elmo Hamilton, who played well and made a few brave saves at the feet of oncoming forwards. My only disappointment from the day was the current state of the pitch at the leisure centre. I’m guessing being a public facility it doesn’t get the looking after it needs and their only answer seems to be to put more and more black pellets down on the surface. From a distance you can’t really tell if it’s an astroturf or asphalt surface now there’s that many pellets, and that doesn’t help the run or bounce of the ball. And don’t even get me started on the wire above the halfway line for the net that separates the two 5-a-side pitches! With S4K playing their league games at Cantley Park this season hopefully they’ll experience a better playing surface. Good luck to both sides this season, I’ll no doubt get to see both again and, now I’ve finally broken my S4K losing streak, maybe I’ll become a lucky omen rather than a Jinx for them this season!