Play-off nerves start to show
Hungerford hammered 7-0 by leaders but Thatcham miss out after being held at home by Yate
THATCHAM TOWN failed to capitalise on neighbours Hungerford's 7-0 humbling at leaders AFC Totton to leave the Zamaretto League promotion play-off race in turmoil.
The final slot was snatched by Almondsbury Town in the wake of their 1-1 draw at Mangotsfield on Saturday, but the west country club have already given notice of their resignation from the competition at the end of the season due to ground problems.
That now leaves the way open to North Leigh to capitalise on their games in hand, although two of those are against Totton and Sholing, the other side in the top two.
Hungerford's depleted ranks were torn apart by the leaders, who had hammered bottom side Andover 9-0 in midweek. Hungerford played three up front and Dave Asker might have put them ahead seconds before Totton broke through when Jon Davies broke to send in Nat Sherborne to score.
Hungerford went for it, but could find no away through a highly drilled Totton defence in which Nathan Campbell shone, and three goals in nine minutes before the break settled the contest. Sherborne's miss-hit shot fell for Mike Gosney to steer home and after Sherborne had netted his second, Gosney struck from the spot after Jamie Leacock had brought him down.
Hungerford held out until the 65th minute when Stefan brown headed home Gosney's cross before the latter Gosney met a Davies cross for his hat-trick, and took his tally to four in the closing stages.
THATCHAM produced a nervous showing when held by Yate at Waterside Park. Sean Cook – soon to jet off to Australia – and Charlie Mpi were kept well in check, although Thatcham made the breakthrough on the stroke of half-time when Cook headed on Mark Hughes' long throw and Mark James pounced from close range. But the goal failed to settle the hosts, and the inevitable equaliser came when Niekell Plummer beat tow defenders before curling his shot past Paul Strudley, and Thatcham could not find that little bit extra to find the goal that would have taken them into the top five.
Newbury seek Madejski date
NEWBURY also suffered a promotion blow when they went down 2-1 at Woodley Town on Thursday night in the Hellenic League's Division One East.
Woodley had won 3-1 at Newbury two weeks earlier, and Danny Isaiew gave them a fifth minute start in the return. Jamie Fairchild added a second just before the break and Newbury had to wait until 10 minutes from time for Curtis Angell to give them hope of snatching a point.
The result leaves Newbury in third spot, three points behind second-placed Henley Town, but with a game in hand and a superior goals difference.
Newbury are on cup duty at Faraday Road on Tuesday night when they entertain Wokingham and Emmbrook in the semi-finals of the Reading Senior Cup with a 7.45pm kick off. The winners will play Flackwell Heath in the final at the Madejski Stadium.
