Cima & Wiseman Strike Again

Following a series of good victories Henley approach this game with a good level of confidence to further push their promotion challenge. Playing against a very well organised and disciplined N+T team the opening exchanges were tight with both team’s attacks asking questions of the opposing defences and either team could have taken an early lead.

As the game settled in to a pattern it was Henley who managed to strike first, a marauding run down the left wing by Harry Wray drew the strong Newbury centre backs out of position and a rasping drive across goal was met by a diving Rupert Wiseman who swept the ball into the Newbury goal.

Minutes later the same combination created an almost picture perfect copy with Harry Wray again causing all sorts of problems for the Newbury defence and again finding Neill Emmett on the far post to tap in for a 2-0 lead to Henley.

Newbury countered with a series of attacks down the Henley left and after a scramble outside the D the ball found the Newbury Centre Forward who deftly beat David Rechner in the Henley goal. Newbury now had their spirits up and were camped in the Henley half. Awarded a series of Short Corners the equaliser was only a matter of time with Newbury showing a level of profligacy in front of goal that surely couldn’t last. Almost on the stroke of half time from their 5th Short corner in a row the ball indeed was in the back of the net.

Needing to show strength from the off Henley started the 2nd half on the front foot, but following some sloppiness in midfield Newbury took the lead with a breakaway goal. Henley heads started to drop and rather than play to their strength of pass and move the Henley shape began to fall away and gaps appear that Newbury exploited. Following another Short Corner Newbury increased their lead to 4-2 and it began to seem there would be no way back.

With 10 minutes remaining Henley made a rare foray into the Newbury half and following a quickly taken free hit the ball fell to Tim Cima who scored to make it 4-3. However any hopes of a comeback were quickly extinguished with yet another Short Corner goal from Newbury, deservedly closing the game out to win 5-3.

MW