Date Published: Saturday, April 14th 2012

Henley Town ........................0

BINFIELD ...............................1
Jos Millar 90+5

Uhlsport Hellenic Premier Division - 14th April 2012 

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In between two cup finals for the Moles, this was always likely to be a match played with slightly less intensity.

But it gave the Moles a chance to give further starts to young stars Jake Butler and Jordan Rowland, while Carl Davies was rested and Danny Wing and James Suarez started on the bench.

When Town visited Hill Farm Lane in January, they were second from bottom of the table and struggling. But they played well that day and after taking three valuable points they climbed the table and have no fears of finishing in the bottom three.

Nevertheless, Town seemed to set out in this match to prevent the Moles from scoring, rather than making any huge effort themselves - and only a combination of slightly generous finishing, a difficult pitch and some good goal keeping kept the Moles out for the most part.

Ian Davies started up front with Garry Sargeant and both had early sights of goal - Sargeant's clever second minute back heel from Davies right wing cross was unfortunate to deflect just wide off Shaun Coker in Town's goal and Davies saw an early volley charged down by Kharis Lavine.

By the 10th minute, Coker had again been called into action, saving low to his right from Carl Withers drive from a 25 yard free kick.

With Dan Weait rarely involved, it seemed only a matter of time till the Moles scored from several opportunities, but we reached half time with the game still scoreless, with Ian Davies again thwarted by a timely block right on half time.

Continuing straight after half time in the same pattern Garry Sargeant had the Moles first chance of many in the second period, but again Gary Smith got a foot in to deflect it over. And Sargeant's personal battle to score was foiled ten minutes into the second half when his 6 yard header from Jordan Rowland's cross was brilliantly pushed over by Coker. Although Sargeant will have been disappointed to give Coker a chance to make the save, it was nonetheless the save of the match.

Midway through the half, Tranell Richardson had Town's best chance of the game to score, but he scuffed his shot from a right wing cross and Dan Weait collected comfortably.

The final half hour of the match was played almost entireley in the Henley half, as the Moles pressed men forwards. Jos Millar had a couple of chances, but shot over when well placed and later saw a great left foot volley charged down by Lavine from Jake Butler's cross.

With the match in its final quarter of an hour, it looked like the two Moles youngsters could have brought about the goal. Rowland ran to the edge of Town's area and neatly passed inside to Butler who clipped the ball over his marker, but was stopped by his outstretched leg and was awarded a slightly fortunate penalty.

But when the usually reliable Callum Whitty pulled his spot kick wide, it seemed that the Moles may have lost their best chance to score.

Whitty came close to making amends five minutes later when Coker failed to hold an awkardly bouncing shot from Tanfield, but Whitty's toe poke ran agonisingly wide.

James Suarez came on for Jake Butler for the last few minutes and was straight into the action. But just a couple of minutes later, Suarez was off again, replaced by Danny Wing, after a late Tranell Richardson tackle left him on the ground holding his ankle. News after the match was that Suarez had a nasty gash on his ankle, but it's hopeful that he will be fit for Tuesday's Berks & Bucks Cup Final against Abingdon Town.

Richardson's afternoon was also ended in that incident, after he was given a lenient yellow card for the original tackle. But was shown a second yellow a minute later before play had restarted for a foolish comment made to Suarez while he lay on the ground.

So Town had to see out a couple of minutes plus stoppage time with ten men.

With 4 minutes of time added on already played, Ian Davies charged into the box, but couldn't quite find room to shoot. But he did find Stuart Tanfield bursting into the box on the left, who saw his shot well parried again by Coker. Danny Wing collected the loose ball, twisted and turned and laid the ball off to Jos Millar to his left, who turned and shot across Coker into the far corner to give the Moles the three points with only seconds left to play. 

The win keeps the Moles 6th in the Premier Division, after both Reading Town and Highworth Town just below them both also won. Reading Town beating Bracknell Town to condemn the Robins to a bottom place finish, after their recent revival proved to be too late.

With two league matches left for the Moles, at Wantage Town next Thursday and Highworth Town on Saturday, the Moles could finish anywhere between 4th and 8th place.

But before those matches, a date with Abingdon Town on Tuesday 17th April, kick off 7.45pm at Beasoncfield SYCOB's ground awaits, with the Berks & Bucks Senior Trophy the prize.

BINFIELD; Weait, Whitty, Rowland, Callaway (capt), Shone (Mortimer 74), Withers, Millar, Butler (Suarez 84, (Wing 89)), I Davies, Sargeant, Tanfield. Sub not used; Pennicott-Bowen