FREDS MARCH ON

The Douglas Simmons sponsored U16's travelled to Sandy Lane in Blackbird Leas, Oxford, on Sunday for a 2pm kick off.

Blackbirds were a much-changed outfit from the first encounter at Alfredian Park, where the Freds ran out 6-1 winners. The Oxford-based team has enjoyed a mini-resurgence of late, impressively beating Abingdon United at the Barracks 2-0 last week. A scoreline that would appear to have sparked the return of Salvador De Santos.

The Freds also welcomed back a familiar face. Harry Howard has returned to Alfredian Park to play his Sunday football with the green and white hoops. His return sees him team up with Guy Woolley, his Oxford City[i] Junior Premier League[/i] partner on a Saturday.

The two were formidable and totally bossed the airwaves in the centre of defence throughout. The yellow and black stripes struggled to unsettle the Freds back four on the ground also. The flanks were policed well by Matthew Lambe and Alex Rose. Likewise, when Will Beynon and Elliot Hayter stepped in seamlessly for the second period of forty minutes.

Wantage cleverly worked the left flank in the first half. Christian Marsh posed all sorts of problems with his intelligent approach-play and link up. And Matthew Goodman often arrived with good timing and angles to support the wide players, in addition to acting as a pivotal figure for switching play.

Marsh flighted a good supply of left-wing crosses that went begging for an attacking head, but no contact arrived.

However, the creative winger did manage to find Hirst with a slide-rule pass six yards from goal, but the midfield poacher struggled to get the connection desired and a grateful keeper gathered.

Hirst then found himself on the box edge with time and space enough to open up his body and angle a pass toward the keepers left corner. It was a decent effort, missing the target by inches.

Freds were turning the screw but Blackbirds were hanging in there.

In the second half, with a strong wind behind them, Wantage set sail for home.

A goal seemed inevitable, but for a time the hoops seemed to drop their compass. Attacks were rushed, shy of numbers required in the final third to sustain a threat and retain possession. The inability to get on the ball in advanced areas, find a yard, and test the keeper was frustrating.

Roan Stillion and Jacob Haines provided midfield steel, and Matthew Goodman alongside James Hirst provided guile. But not enough craft to fashion a clear-cut chance for the taking.

Alex Grimes, Ray Rwodzi, Jonny Hall and Christian Marsh showed endeavour but lacked a sharp enough edge to cut through Blackbirds' last line of defence.

Guy Woolley stepped up with a solution. Woolley switched with Haines and moments later was given an invitation to open his goal-scoring account from thirty yards. The JPL giant [i]doesn't miss from there![/i] Woolley broke the midfield line with a stride or two and rifled his shot from the midfield core to beat a fully stretched keeper that couldn't find an answer to the question being asked. Woolley's strike stayed hit for the distance and kissed the net just inside the keeper's right-hand post. Gold. Solid gold.

Wantage had to work hard to break the deadlock, but then almost binned the advantage when Blackbirds angled a free-kick to the far post. Hesitancy almost came at a price, but a fast reaction from the recovering defenders thwarted the danger.

Rwodzi then stepped up to take a free-kick just outside the penalty area, left of the D.

A knuckle-ball was on order and Rwodzi delivered. His shot fizzed over the wall and into the top corner. Authority stamped. 2-0.

Blackbirds pulled a goal back when gifted a penalty kick, but the Wantage performance was well worth the three points.