Henley 4s extended their unbeaten run

Henley 4s extended their unbeaten run to 5 games with a conclusive if not pretty win over Reading based Phoenix and Ranelagh. With 6 changes from the victorious team of the previous week, it was on paper a stronger Henley team including a welcome return to Tim Cima playing his first game since October 21st, with the team having missed his goal contribution of an average of 2 goals per game in their league winning season of last year.

Whilst it was effectively a stronger team there was certainly, at first, a lack of cohesion with many passes going astray and opportunities to exploit gaps in the Phoenix defence going begging.

Slowly Henley started to find their mojo and the midfield trio of James Lane , Jamie Hollins and returning skipper Simon Taylor were in ascendency and the game was now being played extensively in the Phoenix half. The pressure mounted and inevitably the opening goal was scored by Cima a well taken opportunity picking up a poor hit out of defence and running hard on goal with a sharp shot past the keeper. Cima's goal was greeted by the entire team with a huge roar, happy to see him back and on form.

Having taken a deserved lead, Henley somehow contrived to let Phoenix back into the game, sitting deeper and deeper, Henley let Phoenix take the initiative and moments before halftime following a poor clearness from defence a hopeful shot on goal found its way into the net, as the Henley keeper protested unsuccessfully to the umpire that he was being obstructed.

The half time talk was firm and clear, focus on passing, move the ball and goals would come.

Minutes into the second half the talk proved fruitful. A great move down the left found Phil Biggs free in the D and his movement to goal was blocked by a stick tackle. There followed a sequence of short corners and finally from the third Cima and Hollins combined before Cima found the net (2 goals per game!).

Henley were fully in control of the game but wary that a repition of the lapse in concentration from the first half would bring Phoenix back into the game, but with Newbold, Williams, Ward and Warner stepping up to the challenge in defence, it was clear Pheonix were going to be shut outhe and any more goals would surely be for Henley. And so it proved with a second of the season for Lane, slotting home following good work in mid field by Taylor.

The last ten minutes were played out with Henley fully in control satisfied to keep Pheonix at bay and not take unnecessary risk to extend the score line. Another good win that puts Henley upto 5th in the league.

Team R Foggia, J Williams, A Warner, S Ward, E Newbold, J Hollins , N Emmett, J Lane, S Taylor, S Brown, J Aplin, P Biggs, T Cima