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Driscoll twenty-five yarder earns Frilsham a place in final (05-04-2025)       Frilsham booked their place in the North Berks Cup Final when they posted a narrow 1-0 victory over Compton thanks to a Ty Driscoll wonder strike at a windy East Hendred Football Ground. Frilsham started well and Driscoll saw his close-range snapshot saved by the feet of Compton keeper Charlie London which followed with Jack Blackmon seeing his long-range effort go just wide of the target. Compton were struggling to create any chances to note as Frilsham then produced a goal mouth scabble that was eventually cleared by the Compton defence. Then Frilsham scored what turned out to be the only goal of the game when Driscoll collected a long ball, he then turned inside and fired a twenty-five-yard drive that nestled into the far corner of the Compton net. Frilsham’s Josh Johnson then saw his low drive tipped onto the post by the outstretched London which followed with Johnson firing wide when in a good position. Compton then started to get back into the game and created a good chance only for Ashley Beckett to fire straight at Frilsham keeper Adam Smith. The second half started and Frilsham almost doubled their lead when Driscoll saw his shot saved well by London and the rebound fell to Johnson who could only fire the ball over from a good position. The game then went into a period where neither side created any worthwhile chances as both defences held firm until Frilsham’s Driscoll was put through on goal only to see his shot saved at point blank by the outrushing London. Then with twenty minutes left Compton’s Kwesi Robinson saw his snapshot go wide of the target which followed with shots from outside the Frilsham box being charged down. Compton’s keeper London then produced a fine save from a header by Frilsham’s Steve Drake when tipping the ball around the post when fully outstretched which followed with Compton created a string of corners that never troubled the Frilsham defence. Then in the dying minutes Compton saw a close-range effort go wide of the target when in a good position and then in time added on London again denied Driscoll with a fine low save. Frilsham saw out the last minutes of the game to book their place in the final where they will meet Division Two Marcham who beat Berinsfield in the other Semi- Final. Around the Grounds Ricketts hits two to send Marcham to the final. Most accumulator bets hit the bin this weekend when Division Two Marcham recorded a 3-1 victory over Division One leaders Berinsfield in the other North Berks Cup Semi-Final thanks to two goals from Sam Ricketts with Jack Smith also hitting the target whilst Mark Ingram scored for Berinsfield and Berinsfield were also reduces to ten men late on when Luke Holdsworth received a red. In Division One Steventon recorded their second win of the season when they beat Lambourn Sports Reserves 3-0 thanks to goals from Dale Cameron, Andy Cooper and Mark Stoodley. In Division Two Burghclere kept the heat on the leaders when they posted a high scoring 4-3 victory over Steventon Reserves thanks to two goals from Jack Stockwell with further goals from Josh Metcalf and Harry White whilst Steventon Reserves replied through a hat-trick from Joe Parish. A Jack Speckles hat-trick helped Hagbourne United to a 4-0 victory over Long Wittenham with Joe Barrett also hitting the target. AFC Grove got back to winning ways when posting a 2-1 victory over Stanford thanks to two goals from Jamie Gregory whilst Cameron Godwin replied from Stanford.       Murphy’s double helps March lift the War Memorial (12-04-2025)       Marcham lifted the War Memorial Cup last night at Abingdon United Football Ground after coming from behind to beat Drayton Reserves 3-2 following a double from David Murphy in front of the largest crowd of 330+ since the competition began. Both sides started slowly and neither keeper was troubled in the opening exchanges as both defences held firm until around twenty minutes when Drayton took the lead following a low free kick from Lewis Waters found James Bishop who fired the ball past Marcham keeper Matthew Hutton from around ten yards out. Marcham hit back moments later, and Drayton keeper Jordan Key had to be at full stretch to tip a Mason Curtis header around the post. Marcham was seeing much more of the ball and produced a string of corners which the Drayton defence defended well which followed with a snapshot from David Murphy from twenty yards but was deflected just wide of the post. Battles in midfield were being won and lost by both sides which followed with Marcham’s Tom Dowdell seeing his close-range header go just wide of the target. Then just before half time Marcham pulled level when following a long ball inside the Drayton box the ball fell to David Murphy whose fired the ball home past the diving Key and into the roof of the net from around ten yards out. The second half started and the large crowd were getting more vocal as the beer was flowing as both sides saw half chances go wide of the target which followed minutes later with Drayton’s Lewis Waters seeing his snap shot go just over the Marcham cross bar .Marcham then took the lead just after the hour mark when a fine move saw the ball fall to Sam Ricketts on the edge of the Drayton box and he ran took a touch and fired the ball past the approaching Key and into the back of the net. It was not long before Marcham increased their lead with the goal of the game when David Murphy collected the ball just inside the Drayton half and he turned saw keeper Key off his line and fired a forty-five-yard strike that nestled into the roof of the net…Take a bow son !! Drayton then pushed forward and created half chances which were saved by keeper Hutton or went narrowly wide until Drayton were awarded a penalty with ten minutes remaining following an infringement in the box and up stepped Foley Sercombe to fire the ball home from twelve yards to make it 3-2.The final minutes were frantic with both sides having chances but good saves from both keepers kept the score at 3-2 where it finished and Marcham were awarded the North Berks Memorial Cup minutes later with David Murphy being awarded the player of the match. Conclusion – Great game played hard but fair by two determined sides which was well marshalled in the middle by Adam Dewar and also great to see some legends in the large crowd last night from Saxton, Abingdon, Frilsham and Dorchester ( You know who you are ) great to see you guys… Jamieson hits two as Berinsfield make Charity Shield Final. Berinsfield put last week’s result firmly behind them when they recorded a 4-1 victory over Letcombe Reserves to move into the final of the Charity Shield where they will play Compton at Abingdon United on May 3rd in a game that had everything. Berinsfield hit the ground running and Jack Hinkin had a glorious chance in the opening minutes, but his effort was saved by the outrushing keeper Jack North. Then Berinsfield took the lead when following a corner Joe Bennett rose like a salmon to head the ball towards goal which was turned in close range by Charles Jamieson. Moments later Berinsfield doubled their lead when they were awarded a free kick twenty yards out and Joe Bennett curled his free kick over the wall and past the outstretched North and into the corner of the net. Then moments later Berinsfield made it three when Jamieson ran onto a long cross and half volleyed the ball over North and into the far corner of the net. Letcombe just could not get going and created some half chances, but these went wide of the target or straight at keeper Tom Hewitt and then it could have been worst when Hinkin ran onto a long ball took a touch only to see his shot rebound off the post and out to safety. The second half started and Letcombe made some changes and brought on Jonny James which seemed to make a difference as they were now getting more possession and creating more chances as Letcombe’s Greg Nutley saw his long-range effort go just wide. Then Letcombe saw a lifeline back into the game when they were awarded a penalty following an infringement in the Berinsfield box and Luke Plumb stepped up only to see his spot kick saved low down by keeper Hewitt. Letcombe continued to press forward, and Hewitt was on hand to save low down denying Jason McDowell before the game went into a complete frenzy which saw three red cards being issued following handbags on the pitch following an incident on the pitch which saw two red for Berinsfield and one for Letcombe. Chances went begging for both teams before Berinsfield made it four after Chris Howlett chased down a long ball took a touch and played in Jack Jones who calmly tapped the ball home from close range. Letcombe pulled a goal back in the dying minutes when McDowell fired the ball home from close range after the ball had rebounded off the bar and Berinsfield saw out the remaining minute to book their place in the Charity Shield Final. Around the Grounds In the other semi-final of the Charity Shield Compton booked their place in the final when posting a 3-0 victory over Didcot Town Youth thanks to goals from Liam Taylor, Benji Faloona and George Lybech-Harris In Division One Drayton came out on top in the local derby against Steventon winning narrowly 2-1 thanks to goals from Charlie Eadle and Pat Walsh whilst Callum Evans scored for Steventon In Division Two Woodcote Development moved three points clear at the top posting a 6-0 victory away at Berinsfield Reserves thanks to goals from Toby Nowell, Fraser Sharples, Archie Clark, Zak Fanstone, Will Taylor and Will Thomas. Hagbourne United remained in third spot in the table when they were held to a 3-3 draw at home to Stanford with Hagbourne scoring through Reggie Gesner, Joe Barrett and Cam Wetherall whilst Stanford relied through David Alder, Josh Aylmer and Cam Godwin. Watlington Town Reserves claimed all three points when they travelled to Steventon Reserves and recording 3-1 victory with goals from Brandon Copeland, Connor Jackson and Erim Mboob whilst Nick Townsend scored for Steventon. Long Wittenham and AFC Grove played out a 2-2 draw with Wittenham scoring through two goals from Harry Hudson whilst Grove replied through Ewan Lillies and Josh Scott.