This week’s fixtures witnessed South Berks Men’s 1st team facing two home games at Cantley Park.
First on the roster was Haslemere, seeking redemption after Berkshire’s 2-0 victory in Surrey earlier this season.
In the initial half, Berks dominated Haslemere’s goal, securing numerous short corners. Despite the Haslemere goalkeeper’s heroic efforts, turning away shots and blocking every attempt, the first half concluded goalless. Haslemere did threaten towards the end, but stand-in keeper Roy Staples held firm.
The second half presented more missed opportunities for Berkshire, while Haslemere controlled the ball without posing a significant threat.
In the 55th minute, Luke Kennedy stole the spotlight, orchestrating a brilliant play. Receiving a pass from Alex Sykes on the right wing, Kennedy maneuvered past defenders, set up Sam Fox-Harvey, who expertly netted the ball for a 1-0 lead.
Trailing, Haslemere pushed forward and controversially scored in the 64th minute, resulting in a 1-1 draw despite Berkshire’s protests.
Sunday’s fixture against Oxford Hawks showcased Berkshire’s historical struggles against Oxford teams. Despite playing good hockey, poor finishing and an exceptional Oxford goalkeeper led to a halftime score of 0-1.
In the 54th minute, Berkshire capitalized on a short corner, with Sam Fox-Harvey and Tom King combining to equalize. However, Oxford struck again with a well-taken finish.
Captain Ollie Bruce’s resilience paid off in the 82nd minute, securing a 2-2 draw. Despite a late push, Berkshire settled for the draw, maintaining their 10th spot.
In other matches, South Berks Men’s 2nd team secured a crucial away win at Phoenix Reading, climbing to seventh in the table. The 3rd team dominated Staines with a 7-0 win, elevating them to third place. The 4th team drew 2-2 with Slough, slipping to third in the league. The 5th team faced a 0-1 loss at home to Eastcote, while the 6th team secured a 1-4 victory away at Eastcote, maintaining fourth place.
On the ladies’ front, the 1st and 3rd teams’ games were called off due to frozen pitches. The 2nd team suffered a 0-2 defeat against Wallingford, placing them 9th in the league. The 4th team celebrated a 2-0 home win over Marlow, breaking a streak of goalless draws. The 5th team maintained their league lead with a convincing 0-6 away win at Yateley, featuring a hat-trick from Leila Sanders, two goals from Dani Osman, and one from Chloe Hazel.