Windsor & Eton vs Abingdon United

Match Report

Back at Stag Meadow and back to winning ways thanks to second half goals from Luke Phillips and Isaiah Chase-Kelly.

Today marked a special day as midfielder Ben Catt made his 100^th appearance for the club. The first player male or female to achieve such a feat at the club. Congrats Ben!

The away side had the first effort of the game early on as the ball fell for the Abingdon attacker inside the box, he took a touch before a drilled a low shot towards goal that was comically blocked by his own striker and Finley Purcell was alert and picked up the pieces.

Just under ten minutes into the game, Ethan Darcey was found by Sam Hutchings and played a great ball into the back post which was headed to the edge of the box. Hutchings was the first to react and lined up a shot, but it was dragged wide on his weaker left foot.

Hutchings found the run of Darcey down that right flank once more and sprayed a beauty of a ball to the full back who shot at a tight angle, the keeper being tested at his near post.

Luke Phillips was involved just minutes later. His corner was blocked at the near post and after another unsuccessful attempt at a cross, Luke Phillips picked up the ball on the edge of the area and let fly with a wicked shot which keeper Eddie Cavanagh had to get down low for to stop.

Leo Decabo nearly scored what surely would have been a contender for goal of the season. Toby Bridges cleared up field, which was smartly left by Nick Thumwood after being in an offside position. The defender headed only as far as Decabo who connected brilliantly on the volley from 35 yards out and saw the ball loop over goalie Cavanagh and just wide of the post.

Jabir Laraba won a foul on the 35^th minute, the free kick taken by Phillips who picked out Bridges who’s flicked header unluckily looped over the goal and out for a goal kick.

We continued to look dangerous down the right flank, this time what would have been a brilliant team goal as after some good combination play from Thumwood, Darcey and Decabo, the ball is crossed in and picked up by Laraba who turned and set up Thumwood whose shot was blocked and cleared away. We looked to end the first half very strong.

Abingdon managed to win a corner after Purcell was called into action to make a close range save from striker Anaclet Odhiambo. The corner is floated in deep and Purcell had to stretch to punch clear, excellently dealt with.

The team from Oxford grew into the game towards the end of the first half, a shot from the edge of the area was thankfully wide and didn’t trouble our No.1 in goal.

The first half ended with unsurprisingly, midfielder Darcey in space on the right wing and crossed into the box, unfortunately he was unable to pick out a player in red and the danger was averted.

On the 49^th minute, Darcey’s cross found the head of Phillips from only a few yards out which gave us our lead. Credit to Hutchings on the edge of the area for a great piece of skill before he played a brilliant ball into the path of Darcey who crossed first time and found Phillips for the goal. 1-0 to the Royalists!

Midfielder Hutchings was once more involved after his long-range ball picked out Thumwood, who controlled well before he shifted the ball into his left foot and released a strike that skimmed the top of the bar.

Hutchings did get his assist though after a nicely played ball over the top for substitute Chase-Kelly whose effort took a deflection off backtracking defender and bounced into the net. 2-0!

Abingdon could not find their way back into the game and our defence held strong and no clear-cut chances were made by the opposition.

A strong 2-0 back at Stag Meadow in front of 310 fans, appreciate the support!

– Samuel Scrace