Thame 2nds 1 v Sonning 6ths 1

Sonning scraped together a bare 11, but fielded a team for this fixture against a new team in the league this season, but who have been aquitting themselves well.  It was a close fought game with chances created at either end and both keepers getting plenty of action.  The decisive moments fell in the middle of each half, Thame breaking the resistance of the Sonning defence lead by Chris Manning and Jerry Cresswell.  Sonning continued to work hard and threaten the Thame goal, but could not create the finish until Russell Sivyer was passed the ball in the D and to the left of the goal and despite the attention of two defenders and the keeper squeezed the ball across the goalmouth where Jordan Manning had simply to redirect the ball gently across the line,  probably the easiest goal he will ever score.   Sonning could have won the game but a couple of further chances came and went while Thame might also feel they could have one but created fewer clear cut chances towards the end.

Sonning 6ths 5 v 2 Newbury & Thatcham 4ths

The 6ths returned to winning ways but not without stiff resistance from a young but determined N & T team.  The first ten minutes saw the away side put pressure on Sonning and playing on the new rather bouncy and slightly slippy second pitch, mistakes were made, but not fatal ones.  Slowly it was Sonning took the upper hand and eventually broke the deadlock with a rather messy goal set up well by Eddie Butler and finished by Sam Boseley.  So it stood at half time.

The game felt like it was going to open up and so it proved.  But first a twist, a mistake at the back and some sharp attacking say N & T equalise.  It was only a miute later when a sharp long ball saw Matt Price recieve the ball with his back to the keeper, but generously supplied the oncoming Sam Boseley to coolly put away his second goal.  

A third, fourth and fifth followed from Ricky Verdon, Matt Price and skipper Digby, all well crafted. N& T got one back through a strange slow ball that ran into the Sonning goal, but that was the last and the remaining time ran though without further goalmouth action.  Man of the Match was undoubtedly Sam Boseley who worked tirelessly and took his chances well to score twicw in one game for the first time. 

Sonning 6ths 2 v Witney 5ths 3

It was all going so well!  We had domiminated the first half creating many chances.  Witney's keeper was having a storming match and they created a couple of chances on the break, but we knew iSonning were in control. We talked about how it would pan out at half time and it did... to a point.  After several more chances Digby broke the deadlock with a goal fromclose in, evading the onrushing keeper with aball into the corner.  Five minutes later occasional centre back Tony Upton pushed forward and eventually found himself in the D with the ball.  He drilled a shot into the net passed the now slightly shell shocked keeper.  Game over, surely!

Witney had other ideas.  Sonning legs were tiring and the subs bench was empty this week.  Perhaps a little complacency slipped in and a few niggling injuries were obvious to see.  But we thought we had it..... until two young tallented and fast Witney forwards decided they were not done.  They waltzed forward and danced round a static defence, not once but twice, to level the scores.  Then a certain A Oke decided he was 6 inches taller than he actually is, and lifted his stick over his shoulder to bring down a lofted ball, bringing a mandatory and harsh yellow card.  Now the momentum had changed decisively and a late short corner fell nicely for a young and now confident Witney forward to bury inside the far post. Gutting!

This leaves Sonning 6ths in 6th place, ahead of this Witney team on goal difference alone.  Having been top at the end of October the team have lost their momentum and need to put in a few more battling displays to restore their confidence.

Sonning 6ths 2 v 0 Wallingford 5ths

After slipping up in the last games of last year and the first of this year, last week Sonning found their form again to get a good win against a competent Wallingford who were 4 points ahead of Sonning before start of play.  The match started with Wallingford slightly on top, seeing more of the ball but failling to create any real chances.  Sonning's stand in keeper made one save lclearing from the toes of a Wallingford attacker.  Sonning began to put their game together and after a move involving a number of sharp passes Sam Boseley passed the ball calmly inside the far post to give the home side the advantage.  John Flint and Eddie Butler could have extended the lead but the chances went wide or were well dealt with by the keeper. 

In the second half Sonning continued to dominate.  Possession eventually told and one of a number of short corners was buried by newcomer Nick Berman.  As the game wore on Wallingford picked up exploiting space left by tiring Sonning legs.  They won a number of shorts and created several scoring chances but nothing that could beat the Sonning keeper, Digby including a point blank save diving to his right.  This earned him the Man of the Match award. 

Next up are League leaders Reading, who have lost only one game this season - to Sonning.  Lets see if we can make it a double!