Written By : Tony Stone on 13/04/2025

Categories: Match Report

A crowd of 81 enjoyed the sunshine and watching Henley return to winning ways with a thumping 4-0 victory over Debenham, our Chairman’s programme notes concerning our recent goal drought, proving prophetic in stating that “surely soon the floodgates will open”.

Both sides were hugely understrength, the visitors with 5 out injured (and picking up two more during this match) and Henley missing 6 injured and 1 suspended. Leaving a Debenham side fielding plenty of youngsters and Henley with only 11 regulars starting, with call ups from the Ressies and Assistant Manager Marc Wake on the bench.

Henley couldn’t have started any better, Prime winning the ball on the halfway line, then Ballard looping a ball over for Wharton-Richardson, who chested it down on the run, before slotting home to make it 0-1 after only 38 seconds of the game. Debenham did dig in well, and had the ball in the net after 10 minutes but it was rightly disallowed for a clear offside.

Henley doubled their lead after 18 minutes, Wharton-Richardson again the scorer, heading home Cole’s pinpoint cross to make it 2-0. Henley were desperately unlucky to not make it 3-0 after 35 minutes, Tejano’s 25-yard rocket hitting the net a second after the referee blew up to stop play for an earlier injury, frustrating to say the least and leaving it 2-0 at the break.

The opening minutes of the first half saw a moment of tension for Henley, an uncharacteristic misplaced pass out from Punter, intercepted, but sent wide with the goal gaping. Henley continued to press though, Bell’s header cannoning off the post from a Cole corner after 55 minutes, minutes later Hooley’s shot came back of the same post.

But Henley weren’t to be denied for long, when on 65 minutes Cooper and Tejano combined to win the ball back, before Ballard’s flick placed the ball directly into the path of Cole’s run, he made no mistake, sliding home into the bottom corner for 3-0. Two substitutes combined after 85 minutes to make it 4-0, Clark’s ball picking out Wake who finished coolly.

Debenham did have a late effort at a consolation but it flashed wide and the game finished 4-0.

A timely, much improved all round team performance from Henley, with MOTM going to Wharton-Richardson, although Cole and Prime ran him close with all out performances. With 5 games still to fit in over the next 3 weeks, we hope we’ll have some players back soon to ease the pressure on the squad.

Debenham deserve a lot of credit, their youngsters really put in a shift, their heads never dropping, a credit to their manager and club.