Top sides meet in cup action in Newbury Sunday League
Newbury Sunday League’s top two sides met in cup action at the weekend.
Kingsclere hosted their title rivals NWX in the first round of the Lambourn Cup.
Charlie Knight opened the scoring for NWX, before Seth Fowler levelled things up for Kingsclere.
Fowler then turned provider, setting up Sammy Hamilton to put Kingsclere 2-1 up.
Ben Wright then struck for the visitors just before half-time to make it 2-2.
With everything to play for, it was Will Seddon who bagged the winner for NWX, finding the net with a powerful strike in the second half.
Keeper Jack North drew praise, making at least three match winning saves in the second half to secure the win for his side.
There was also league action on Sunday, as The Crickets AFC hosted AFC Aldermaston Sunday B.
A competitive affair, the match was played in a good spirit and served as a good advert for the league.
The sides battled to a 1-1 draw, with Sam Allen getting Aldermaston’s goal and Jake Thain receiving praise for a good performance.
Ben Townshend scored for The Crickets and took home the AutoMerc Man of the Match award for what was described as “a proper shift”.
The draw was Aldermaston’s first of the season and leaves them in fifth, best of this season’s new joiners.
The Crickets are just four points below them as they look to continue a positive debut campaign.
Elsewhere, Plough on the Green and Aldbourne Royals played to a 2-2 draw at City Playground.
The result keeps both sides as they were, seventh and eight respectively and level on points.
Late joiners Aldbourne have now played eight games, but that’s still six less than the rest of the league.
How they perform in those games in hand will prove consequential for the race to be the league’s best new side.
This weekend is another mix of cup and league action, as NWX host Aldbourne in the league.
Kingsclere have a semi-final to play, as they host CT United in the Hampshire FA Sunday Trophy.
Their opponents are currently third in the Gosport, Fareham & Solent Football League and are the official team of Connection Technologies, an IT Services company based in Fareham.
AFC Aldermaston and Frilsham will meet in the semi-finals of the Knock Out Cup, while Thatcham Tornadoes will play Diamond FC at Ecchinswell in the Lambourn Cup.
