Tim Cima on fire for 3rd team

Henley 3rd team gained a vital six points in two matches this weekend in their bid for promotion, Tim Cima scoring five of the team’s nine goals with a superb performance across the two days.

Saturday saw the amber and blues take on Eastcote 4ths at Jubilee Park. Henley looked somewhat slow to start, and Eastcote took advantage of this with a fast break resulting in a shot on goal. The shot was parried by goalkeeper Cordrey, but the visitors’ centre forward pounced on the rebound to score.

However Henley soon restored parity, with excellent interplay between Timothy Herbert and Tim Cima leaving Cima free on goal, who made no mistake. Timothy Herbert then took Henley into the lead with an outstanding individual goal. Robbing the Eastcote centre back, Herbert drove into the area and drew the goalkeeper from his line, then finishing emphatically to take Henley to a 2-1 lead at half time.

After the interval the game became more stretched as Eastcote pushed forward, but the midfield line of Julian Herbert, Jack Draycott, Leo Packham and John-Joe Cottam fought hard to nullify the attacking threat.

With gaps opening up around the field, this gave the rampant Cima the space to score another two goals to complete a magnificent hat-trick. Cottam then added the fifth following the best move of the day, the ball transferred quickly across eight players to leave Cottam unmarked on the right to cap off the 5-1 victory.

On Sunday Henley travelled to Oxford University 4ths. Although facing a young and fit side in the second game in two days was expected to be a challenge, with the addition of the spritely Mike Woolfrey at right back Henley looked in control from the start, passing patiently and building penetrating attacking moves.

Other than an Oxford penalty corner that required a superb reaction save from Cordrey following a sharp deflection, the first half was dominated by Henley.

Leo Packham, James Baker and Matthew Herbert marshalled the midfield and fought hard to retain possession, providing the forward line with quality passes. This led to Tim Cima scoring the first two goals, Cima pouncing on a loose ball for the first, and then adding another following a rebound from the goalkeepers pads. Timothy Herbert added the third, after receiving the ball from his brother Matthew who made incisive driving run along the byline. Baker added the fourth from a well-worked penalty corner, to take the score to 4-0 at half time.

The students came back strongly in the second half, becoming more organised and playing higher up the pitch, in a challenge to Henley’s fitness and speed. Oxford drew a goal back from a penalty corner, and while attacking chances proved harder to come by Henley kept composure and patience to close out the game with a 4-1 victory.

Henley – M Cordrey, R Austin, M Woolfrey, T Bodeker, L Packham, J Draycott, J Baker, M Herbert, J Herbert, T Cima, J-J Cottam, J Rechner, I Rechner, E Newbold, H Wray.