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Walking Footballers Miss Out on Title but Achieve Promotion
Andrew Robinson17 Feb - 17:45
The Over-50s Walking Football Team finished their Autumn Winter Season with Promotion to The Championship
Our Over-50s Walking Football Team fell just short in the quest to win their League at Bisham Abbey. February’s Squad was largely unchanged from the one that represented the Club in the last round of fixtures in November. Player-Manager Guy Morrison took Alan Buckberry, David Tait, Lee Smith, Andy Worrall, Simon McAlonen-White, John Fletcher and John Vaccarro, the core of the Squad from those games. With Kevin Barbey recovering from injury new boy Gary Cook joined the squad.
At the start of the day the Title was not quite in our hands. A poor start to the season in September meant that South Reading were top and favourites to take the title, with Hungerford in second place.
The draw of games meant playing South Reading in the first game of the day. As has been our habit, Hungerford were slow to start. We gave away a penalty when Tait just stepped in the penalty area. Fortunately, South Reading hit the post. That stroke of luck kickstarted The Crusaders and Vaccarro, who had a great run of games on the day, scored from the left of the area. Unfortunately, South Reading equalised and, in a hard fought game, neither side was able to score again to win.
After that we took a break and watched our next opponents Charters force a 0-0 draw against South Reading. The Charters Keeper was their best player of that game and then followed up with a fine performance against Hungerford. Our shots on target during the game went into double figures and he saved from Vaccaro, Worrall and Fletcher. Only Worral was able to break the deadlock with a fine finish from a narrow angle. At the other end, Buckberry was a match for Charters’ rare shots.
In the next game against Wycombe Chairboys, Hungerford were in control to win 1-0, with Worrall again the scorer. The Defence was solid and Wycombe were confined to taking long shots.
Over the morning almost all results went our way – South Reading had dropped points by drawing all of their first three games and our two wins left the title in our own hands. However, Woodley Pensioners scored early and then, when we chased the game and the Title, they managed to score a second.
That said, the boys were pleased to take the Runners-Up Trophy and a medal in only our second season. Better than that, we are promoted to The Championship, which will begin at the start of March.
We plan to enter a Team into the over-60s competition from March which will allow more of our players to play competitively each month.
We welcome interest from Men and Women to join us for more Football, Friendship and competition – experience and skill are less important than a willingness to participate on cold rainy nights. See Martin Brailli or Andy Robinson around the club for further details.
At the start of the day the Title was not quite in our hands. A poor start to the season in September meant that South Reading were top and favourites to take the title, with Hungerford in second place.
The draw of games meant playing South Reading in the first game of the day. As has been our habit, Hungerford were slow to start. We gave away a penalty when Tait just stepped in the penalty area. Fortunately, South Reading hit the post. That stroke of luck kickstarted The Crusaders and Vaccarro, who had a great run of games on the day, scored from the left of the area. Unfortunately, South Reading equalised and, in a hard fought game, neither side was able to score again to win.
After that we took a break and watched our next opponents Charters force a 0-0 draw against South Reading. The Charters Keeper was their best player of that game and then followed up with a fine performance against Hungerford. Our shots on target during the game went into double figures and he saved from Vaccaro, Worrall and Fletcher. Only Worral was able to break the deadlock with a fine finish from a narrow angle. At the other end, Buckberry was a match for Charters’ rare shots.
In the next game against Wycombe Chairboys, Hungerford were in control to win 1-0, with Worrall again the scorer. The Defence was solid and Wycombe were confined to taking long shots.
Over the morning almost all results went our way – South Reading had dropped points by drawing all of their first three games and our two wins left the title in our own hands. However, Woodley Pensioners scored early and then, when we chased the game and the Title, they managed to score a second.
That said, the boys were pleased to take the Runners-Up Trophy and a medal in only our second season. Better than that, we are promoted to The Championship, which will begin at the start of March.
We plan to enter a Team into the over-60s competition from March which will allow more of our players to play competitively each month.
We welcome interest from Men and Women to join us for more Football, Friendship and competition – experience and skill are less important than a willingness to participate on cold rainy nights. See Martin Brailli or Andy Robinson around the club for further details.
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