Witney Sport

FOOTBALL: Brave Witney so close to upset

9:32am Wednesday 1st September 2010

RICH Conway scored an injury-time equaliser as Witney United secured a 2-2 draw at Southern League outfit Thatcham Town in Saturday’s FA Cup preliminary round tie.

With five minutes left, it looked as though Witney could pull off a shock, only for Thatcham to take a 2-1 lead.

But Witney weren’t to be denied a draw with Conway levelling three minutes into injury time.

Witney had to withstand severe pressure from Thatcham in the first half with their keeper Dwayne Whylly denying Graham Lewis and Carl Self.

Midway through the second half, Witney went ahead when Chris Zoldan glanced in Sam McNally’s cross.

Eddie Everett flick on a McNally cross, but Jamie Wyatt blazed over as Witney looked for more goals.

With seven minutes left, Scott Rees and Aaron Parfitt gave Thatcham a 2-1 lead.

However, Witney did not give up with Conway’s thumping volley levelling it.

The replay was scheduled to be played last night at Marriotts Stadium.

• NORTH Leigh let slip the lead as they went down to a 2-1 defeat at their Southern League Division 1 South & West rivals Cinderford Town.

With Matty Taylor starting his first game of the season, North Leigh looked sharper up front and certainly had the better of the early exchanges, with Joe Burnell, Taylor and Aaron Posey going close.

And they took the lead when the keeper failed to hold a terrific free-kick from Stuart Hole and Posey nicked the ball past the keeper.

After the break, the home side came out all guns blazing and equalised when Toby Clark deflected a corner past his own keeper Adam Lonsdale.

On 70 minutes, Taylor was put through with only the keeper to beat, but he fired wide.

And North Leigh were made to pay when home substitute Nick McCootie flicked home a through ball past Lonsdale for the winner.

North Leigh threw everyone forward, but were unable to force an equaliser.

• Craig Mays netted a double for Clanfield in a comfortable 3-1 victory at Malmesbury in Division 1 West of the UHLSport Hellenic League.

Clanfield were rocked when Mark Field gave the hosts the lead, but levelled when Mays’s shot deceived the keeper.

After the break, Clanfield took the lead when Chris Blakely fired into the top corner.

Mays made it 3-1 from the rebound after his penalty was saved by Martin Woodhouse.

Malmesbury were reduced to ten men when James McCarthy was sent off after a bad foul on Steve Olphert, but Clanfield failed to take advantage.

• Email this page