Oxford eke out victory in top of the table clash

On Saturday morning Henley 3 sat at the top of MBBO Division 4, ahead of Oxford with a two point cushion. The table perhaps flattered to deceive as Oxford 4, unbeaten in their 15 games, had played no less than four fewer than Henley, through a combination of weather affected home games and the ineptitude of the two university sides in the league. Nonetheless, both sides were keen to stake their claim to the title so a hard fought encounter was anticipated.

The Henley side, without skipper Rowan Austin, top scorer James Baker, left-post tap-in expert Tim Barrass, ex-retiree Mike Woolfrey or small animals specialist Leo Packham, had something of a scratch look and feel and had called on the services of one or two players whose hockey was untested for several months.

Oxford, like Chelsea, defend deep and charge forward and in the first few minutes had produced some exhilarating counter attacking hockey, putting stand-in centre back Matt Herbert and keeper Ed Earls under immense early pressure. Henley were not without attacking threat themselves and after a good period of possession won a short corner in the 13th minute, Tim Herbert finishing off a slick passing interchange with Cottam, with some keen individual skills. The corner came to nothing, but allowed the Oxford keeper to rebound the ball wide and high up the pitch. The move was completed with a cross from the right side of the D tapped in at the far post by Tasker.

The jitters set in a little and Henley played nervously and without much attacking threat for the second quarter of the match, only some fine shot stopping from Earls holding the score to 0-1 going into half-time. Indeed, Henley's early attacking patience and composure continued to elude them and it was only a matter of time before they conceded a second goal. Early in the second half, pressing high on a Henley 16-yard hit, a loose pass out of defence found Conlon whose threaded pass to Tasker was smacked past the outstretched Henley keeper.

Perhaps high on overconfidence, Oxford began to sit back and invite some Henley pressure. Sensing the moment, Henley fought their way back. Dogged defending from Bodeker turned the ball over in Henley's favour around the 50th minute and a series of fast passes down the Henley right flank involving Draycott, veteran right back Ian Heggie, Phillips and Herbert, ended with a smart turn and finish from Phillips two yards out from goal.

So Henley now had the classic dilemma of wanting to find a way back into the game whilst being aware that throwing men forward could expose them to Oxford's counter-attacking threat. The ploy worked to an extent and Henley won four penalty corners in quick succession, producing one decent save from the Oxford keeper but also ending Foster-Yeow's first game in three months with cramp so severe it took him an age to leave the field.

With Henley tiring and increasingly fraught, Oxford were able to produce another quick counter and secure three points with five minutes left on the clock.