After almost a month off due to Christmas and frozen pitches it was back to the action with the Berks and Bucks Cup and the visit of Moretonville. Despite freezing temperatures all week the sun had come out on Sunday morning and combined with the straw which had been placed in the goal mouth at the hedge end the game was able to take place. However, with minutes to go both Albie and Duncan were missing, so the 11 players at the ground started with Max slotting in just behind Albie.
Moretonville kicked off and almost immediately lost possession as Wickham attacked down the right but the cross went behind the goal. Thirty seconds latter Iggy was down the line again, this time pulling the ball back for Jesse but his shot was blocked by the covering no.12. In the third minute a William throw to Charlie again saw Iggy get free but his cross cleared Max and Olly at the back post. From the resulting goal kick, Charlie intercepted the ball playing it across the box to Max. After creating a little bit of space Max riffled the ball into the top right corner. Wickham continued to press forwards dominating the play but were unable to get another goal. After 19 minutes Max was replaced by Albie whose first touch was to send a corner into the box which seemed to be right under the crossbar but the wind just drifted it behind. From the goal kick Marcus won the header playing it up to Charlie who in turn laid it into Albie’s path but his shot went over the bar. Any Moretonville attack was tidied up by either Karl or
William; so much so that James did not touch the ball in the whole of the first half with the visitor restricted to one shot on goal from some range that went well wide.
Wickham kicked off the second half and ended up going backwards but some interplay between William and Karl saw Duncan receive the ball on the left. His pass through to Charlie saw the latter bear down on goal but a defender got across to clear the danger. Wickham had their first corner of the half in the 5th minute which saw the ball knocked back out to Albie who played it to Jack to send into the box but it was scrambled clear. In the 8th minute Karl tidied the ball up in defence playing it out to Jack who sent Iggy away down the line. His cross cleared Albie but Charlie dragged the ball down before laying it back to Marcus on the edge of the box. His first time shot was heading towards the top corner but Iggy got his head to it putting the ball onto the bar but he place his follow up header into the back of the net. Charlie battled for the ball from the centre but gave away a free kick in the centre circle. The ball was hit straight down the middle to the centre forward who quickly turned to get a shot away which James saved (his first touch). In the 15th minute a Moretonville defensive free kick was won by Marcus near the half way line and he sent Jesse through the middle. He squeezed between two defenders and then chipped the advancing keeper. With the ball going into the net Iggy smashed it home but he had been in an offside position so the goal was disallowed. Moretonville then went on the attack with a ball up their left to their no. 7, which he seemed to handle, before getting to the by-line and being brought down by Karl by the 6 yard box. A perfect penalty into the side netting set up an interesting last 15 minutes. Despite the pressure James only had one more save to make diving left and pushing the ball out to safety. An Albie free kick was headed over the bar by Jesse and then Albie hit a rasping drive which cannoned off the near post and wide. Charlie had a chance near the end but his chip over the last defender saw the keeper just get to the ball before he did.
Well a 2-1 victory sets up a ¼ final rematch against Kennington, who Wickham beat at the same stage last year. The Player of the Day award went to Karl for his great display in defence ensuring James only actually touched the ball 4 times.
James Davis
Jack Bolton, William Herrington, Karl Admans, Ben Finch
Iggy Ilott, Jesse Bowers, Marcus Guest, Olly Sopp
Max Nicholls, Charlie de Fraine.
Subs:- Duncan Lorrain, Albie Oakman.
