A much improved display

SIL Premier Division: Stowupland Falcons FC 4-2 Henley Athletic FC

Henley visited league leaders Falcons, and despite still missing a few players gave a brave and fully committed showing in a tight, competitive game, far closer than the scoreline may initially suggest. A match which featured fine goals and some controversy.

Henley had the first attempt of the game, Cole seeing Watling off his line, launched a 50 yard effort which drifted narrowly wide of the post after 2 minutes. A good move from Falcons saw Rampley fire just over the bar after 6 minutes. Henley took the lead after 11 minutes, a crossfield ball from Cole picked out Dozzell wide left, he beat his marker and drove into the box, finishing well with a low left foot strike from a narrow angle to make it 0-1.

The lead was short lived as Rampley raced onto a ball over the top and stroked home for 1-1 after

15 minutes. Two minutes later Rampley struck again, muscling his way through to fire in from just

inside the box for 2-1. Things could’ve got worse for Henley on 30 minutes, when Falcons were given

a penalty for a foul by Bell, but Rampley blazed the spot kick over the bar. At the other end Tejano got

on the end of a ball over the top from White, but his shot was pushing round the post by Watling on 35

minutes. Just before the break Spurling did well to stop a well hit shot from Chaplin, leaving it 2-2 at

the break.

Henley started the second half on the front foot, a great block from Watling denying Webster at the back post after 50 minutes, then on 55 minutes a cross cum shot from White drifted just past the post with home keeper Watling stranded. This was followed by Tejano flashing a header just wide from a Dozzell cross in the 61^st minute.

Then came a curious 3 minute spell which saw a seasonal flurry of yellow cards for Henley, with White, Cole and Shore all booked. A minute later Cole received a 2^nd yellow and it’s accompanying red leaving Henley down to 10 men. With Henley under pressure, Spurling did well to tip round a well hit strike on 66 minutes.

Controversy reigned on 73 minutes, Rushton with a late challenge on Webster just outside the Falcons box, having been booked in the 1^st half, all in attendance, on both sides, anticipated a clear 2^nd yellow, but Referee Hammond failed to endear himself to the travelling support, satisfying himself with just a word. Whilst, of course, it’s his decision that counts, the fact that Falcons substituted Rushton before the subsequent freekick says volumes. However 10 man Henley were still well in it, and equalised on 75 minutes, Bell rising highest to head home a Tejano freekick to make it 2-2.

But the Falcons pressure told, and on 78 minutes a rifled strike from Rampley completed his hat trick and restored Falcons lead at 3-2.  On 80 minutes Henley substitute Taylor jinked clear through on goal, but was pulled back as he was shaping to shoot, but the referee was unsighted and nothing was given. But it was Falcons who put the game to bed after 82 minutes with an absolutely cracking goal from Tyler Whebby who crashed home a strike from fully 25 yards to bring the final score to 4-2.

Whilst a disappointing loss, this was a much-improved performance from Henley, with manager Brown shuffling the pack and changing his approach, MOTM went to Tejano, who as always was at the heart of everything good, but Dozzell also impressed with his best performance to date. It was also good to see Shore and Alex Prime join the action off the bench after returning from injuries.

As always we received a great welcome from Mark Dye and his team at Stowupland, all at Henley wish them luck for the rest of the season.

#UppaHens

The Hat