The Danny Robinson era, Maidenhead United win and Seb’s hamstring

Seb Bowerman. Photo: Neil Graham / ngsportsphotography.com
Seb Bowerman. Photo: Neil Graham / ngsportsphotography.com

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Good Week

Hungerford Town

Two league games into the Danny Robinson era at Hungerford and they have six points in the bag and are only off the top of the league on goals scored. The Crusaders kicked off their National South season with an impressive 3-0 at home to local rivals Chippenham Town before backing that result up with a 2-0 away win at Tonbridge Angels on Saturday. It is early days obviously, but it is great to see Hungerford starting so well.

Watch Hungerford’s bizarre second goal here.

Berkshire derbies

Fans of competitive high scoring fixtures between local sides (so basically everyone reading this) could find a match for them on every gameday this week. On Tuesday Holyport and Aldermaston played out a hotly contested 3-3 draw at Summerleaze that gave spectators great value for money.

On Friday Binfield needed two injury-time strikes from Sean Moore to maintain their undefeated start to the season in a thrilling 4-4 draw with Windsor. This was the pick of the home side’s goals:

On Saturday Reading City had to use the away changing rooms at the Rivermoor as they were drawn away to Woodley United in the FA Vase. A Tyler D’Cruz hat-trick was just enough for Cityzens as Woodley pushed their higher league rivals all the way in a match that finished 3-2 to Reading.

On Sunday there were several Berkshire derbies in the Thames Valley Counties Women’s Football League with perhaps the pick being S4K FC Berks County Ladies securing a point with a 2-2 draw at undefeated Taplow United.

A lovely week for the Berkshire neutral.

Maidenhead United Women

They left it late, but Maidenhead United Women picked up their first points of the season with an assured performance at Cheltenham Town Ladies. It took until the 73rd minute for the Magpies but a glanced header from Sarah Thompson and a penalty from Nicole Barrett was enough to secure the three points despite an injury time goal for the hosts.

The result leaves Maidenhead 7th in the 11-team league with a home game against leaders Southampton their next fixture.

Bracknell Town

Two wins and climbing to the top of the table; yes, a very good week for Bracknell. On Tuesday night the Robins edged a close game at promotion rivals Chertsey Town and that was followed up by a big win at home to Chalfont St Peter which saw them to the top of the table. Bobby Wilkinson’s men have the wind in their sails at the moment and will be looking forward to Tuesday’s FA Cup Third Qualifying Round tie at Isthmian Premier side Haringey Borough. I wouldn’t bet against them

Slough Town Ladies

It is becoming a bit of a weekly routine for me: check TVCWFL Division 3 East results, open last week’s GWBW article, find Slough Town Ladies, Ctrl+C, go to this week’s GWBW article, Ctrl+V.

The Rebels have started the season with 4 wins from 4, they boast a goal difference of +25 and they have the division’s top scorer in their ranks in Abi Canvin who has 11 goals in 5 games. This week they defeated Woking Ladies Reserves 5-1 which sets up Saturday’s trip to Penn & Tylers Green Ladies, who are the only other side in the division with a 100% record, very nicely indeed. One to watch for next week.

Bad week

Maidenhead United

Maidenhead’s poor start to the season continued this week with two home defeats leaving them bottom of the table. On Tuesday the Magpies conceded a last-minute goal to fall to defeat against newly-promoted Kings Lynn Town, having been leading less than 10 minutes earlier. On Saturday by all accounts, Maidenhead were the better side in the first half but conceded an injury-time goal to go in 1-0 down at half time against Hartlepool United. In the second half, the visitors added three more unanswered strikes to run out 4-0 winners in the end. It doesn’t get any easier for Maidenhead as they have two tough away games this week; tonight (Monday) at Wrexham before playing Notts County on Saturday.

Jamie O’Hara’s Geography

Errrm…

Virginia Waters fans

Fans of the Waters have been twiddling their thumbs for almost two weeks. Last Saturday their game at home to Lydney Town was postponed due to Covid precautions and their midweek game with Burnham was called off due to their opponents Cup commitments. Then on Saturday the Waters trip to Westfields was called off due to another Covid precaution. Virginia Waters are dues to host Yateley United in the Challenge Cup on Tuesday night and at the time of writing that game is still on so hopefully they can start fulfilling their fixtures soon

Seb Bowerman’s hamstring

Seb Bowerman. Photo: Neil Graham / ngsportsphotography.com

While Bracknell Town are firmly in the “Good” section of the article, there must be a few concerns around the fitness of Seb Bowerman. The forward, who has arguably been the Robins best player so far this season, had to be substituted in the first half of both of Bracknell’s games this week which is not ideal. Bobby Wilkinson has said he is managing a hamstring injury but hopefully, Seb can get the all-clear before Tuesday as it would be great to see him fully fit and going up against Step 3 opposition in the FA Cup.

Berkshire clubs on the road

It wasn’t the best week for Berkshire’s travelling fans. The Hellenic fixture list and the Second Qualifying Round of the FA Vase saw a few of our clubs jumping in the coach and heading off to the extremities of the Hellenic map only to be heading back a few hours later with their tails between their legs. On Tuesday Windsor set off for North Oxfordshire where they suffered a 3-2 league defeat at the hands of Easington Sports. On Saturday Wokingham & Emmbrook and Aldermaston both made trips to Gloucestershire for FA Vase fixtures against sides from the step above and both came back empty-handed. The Sumas lost 2-0 to Longlevens and the Atomics lost 5-0 to Brimscombe & Thrupp. Hopefully they had a good time on the coach journey at least.

Wokingham & Emmbrook Ladies

A few weeks ago Wokingham & Emmbrook Ladies had one eye on the top of the table, on Sunday the side who currently hold that spot showed them they have some way to go to get there. League leaders Carterton Ladies came to town and ran out 6-1 winners at Lowther Road. The Sumas will have a chance to get back to winning ways when they travel to Milton United Ladies on Sunday.

Exceptionally Good Week

FiB Supremo Tom Canning

I couldn’t let this column go by without congratulating Tom Canning and his wife Lynette on the birth of their daughter Eleanor. Berkshire football fans can expect to see Eleanor at a local game, decked out in full FiB attire, in the very near future. Congratulations to you both!

What’s Rob missed? Let us know in the comments section.

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