Latest Match Report:

Didcot Town Under 18s 3 V 1 Buckingham Athletic UNDER 18s
NPower Loop Meadow Stadium
20 April 2006

Didcot ended their excellent season with a comfortable 3-1 win. Mark Bailey and Chris Eldridge would have hoped for a bigger victory to put some pressure on rivals Oxford City, who play their final game next week against Witney United.
Didcot created plenty of chances during a very lively and open game, but to their credit, Athletic caused several problems of their own during the match and could have ended up with more than the one goal.
Didcot tested Buckingham keeper Ross Brandon as early as the third minute. Billy Warner set up Adam Bailey for a shot from outside the penalty area that Brandon did well to save.
Buckingham had a good spell of pressure a few minutes later. Arguably, one of the best players on the pitch tonight, Stephen Keane, was involved in all three attacks. First on six minutes, Jason Benjafield set up Keane who hit a good left foot shot that Tom Pickering saved well. Three minutes later, Keane sent a cross over from the left that hit the cross bar before the ball was cleared. Then a minute later Keane curled a shot wide from 20 yards after good work from Stephen Knox and Scott Latham.
After 15 minutes, Adam Bailey was dispossessed half way inside his own half by Jason Benjafield. The striker found time and space to shoot from 25 yards but keeper Tom Pickering was well positioned to save his effort.
Billy Warner superb pinpoint put Jamie Mundy through on goal on 20 minutes. However, Andy Bowden did brilliantly to come across and deflect the wingback’s shot out for a corner. Didcot didn’t have to wait long to grab the first goal. From the corner, the unmarked Adam Lovegrove swept Chris Hogan’s low cross past Brandon.
The goal lifted the home side and plenty of chances were created before half time. Jamie Mundy went close to getting a second minutes later, getting on the end of Warner’s pinpoint pass, but keeper Brandon did well to rush and and block Mundy’s shot from close range.
Mundy then set up Warner with an opportunity on 28 minutes that the striker hit high over the bar.
Brandon then denied Steven Mundy after good work from Lovegrove and Jamie Mundy only a minute later.
Daniel Cox-Rogers showed good vision as his excellent long pass found Steven Mundy on 38 minutes. Mundy’s good left wing cross was claimed well by Brandon under pressure from Warner.
On 41 minutes, Buckingham’s Dean Odell went close to levelling the score as he found space on the edge of the Didcot penalty box. Pickering did well to deny Odell with a good save low to his right.
Just before half time, Didcot would have been relieved that the referee didn’t use the advantage rule in Buckingham’s favour. Cox-Rogers late challenge on Latham caused the official to stop the game for a free kick. However, the ball had fallen to Andy Bowden who had a clear opportunity to score. From the free kick, Keane’s shot was well saved by Pickering, but the ball ran loose. Simon Dickenson followed up, but Pickering did superbly to deny him getting an equaliser.
Half time 1-0

Didcot’s first opportunity after the interval came on 50 minutes. Adam Bailey did well to get past Tom Castle on the left. Unfortunately, Bailey took the wrong option and tried to beat Brandon from a very tight angle at his near post rather than pull back the ball for Warner or Lovegrove.
Stephen Keane continued to cause some problems for Didcot down the left. On 53 minutes, his good cross was well defended and within seconds, the ball was played up to Adam Lovegrove inside the Buckingham half. Despite having a couple of defenders nearby, the striker made space down the middle and hit a good left foot shot that just flew just a few feet over the bar.
Lovegrove went close again 5 minutes later as he met Jamie Mundy’s cross but his header went over the bar. Lovegrove turned provider moments later, as he set up Chris Hogan for a shot from 20 yards that went wide of the right hand post.
A mistake by Tom Pickering nearly handed Buckingham an opportunity just after an hour of play. The Didcot keeper mis-kicked a back pass that Dean Odell was quick to pounce on. Fortunately, for Didcot, Odell’s shot from the right hand side of the penalty was going wide of the far post and Cox-Rogers did well to get back and ensure the danger was cleared. Another poor kick by Pickering only minutes later gave Scott Latham the ball 25 yards out. The striker would have been disappointed with his effort as the ball went wide of Pickering’s goal.
Pickering then showed excellent skills to deny Latham from close range on 70 minutes after good work from Chris Checkley.
Billy Warner brought a good save from Ross Brandon a few minutes later after good work from Adam Bailey and substitute Nathan Morris. Five minutes later, another quick counter attack from Didcot resulted in Warner showing good pace but his attempted lob over the advancing was too heavy and the ball went over the bar.
Didcot increased their lead on 76 minutes. Billy Warner met Jamie Mundy’s cross 15 yards out and hit the ball past Brandon.
Cox-Rogers tested Brandon with a firm header two minutes later after meeting another Jamie Mundy cross.
Didcot’s persistence paid off on 80 minutes with a third goal. Nathan Morris did well to create space down the left wing and send in a cross that Adam Learoyd headed superbly past keeper Ross Brandon.
Five minutes from full time, Buckingham managed to grab a consolation goal. It came as no surprise as skilful Stephen Keane hit a good right foot shot from the edge of the penalty area that beat Pickering and ended in the far corner of the net.
The goal seemed to breathe life into Buckingham Athletic and the visitors came close to adding to their tally. Minutes later, Jason Benjafield found acres of space down the left causing Pickering to rush from his goal. The striker attempted to hit his shot from 25 yards around the keeper, but the ball was always going wide. Scott Latham nearly got on the end of the loose ball but was denied by Hogan who hit the ball out for a corner. From the resulting corner, Stephen Knox met Chris Checkley’s cross but saw his header go over the bar.
Just before the final whistle, Nathan Morris hit a thumping shot that curled just inches wide of the far post with Ross Brandon beaten.
Mark and Chris’s team now expect to finish as runners up to Oxford City, who now just need to avoid a defeat of nothing more than 2 goals to claim the league title.
Full Time 3-1

Didcot Team. Tom Pickering; Luke Hammond; Adam Learoyd; Jamie Mundy;
Daniel Cox-Rogers; Steven Mundy (Nathan Morris 57); Chris Hogan; Billy Warner;
Adam Lovegrove ;(Daniel Knapp 89) Adam Bailey; Nicholas Millin
Subs not used: David Wyatt; Lee Chapman
Report: Mark Buckmaster



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