Berks & Bucks F A
Charles Twelftree Trophy
Saturday 12th November
WARGRAVE 3 LETCOMBE 5
This game was played on a new 4G pitch at Burnham F C, an outstanding facility. This suited Letcombe`s style of play with the perfect bounce condusive to good passing football.
Letcombe had the better of the opening exchanges without creating any clear chances. Ben Hummel and Calum Pryce both had headers which went strraight to home keeper Ben Lallament, and Josh Fowler had a shot well saved by him. Letcombe took the lead after 26 minutes, Jordan Davies scoring after good approach work by Pryce. The ball hit the wheel of the portable goal and flew back into play, but referee Mark Bullock was well positioned to see that the ball had entered the net. The visitors added a second in the last minute of the half when Pryce was brought down by Joseph Danelian as he raced into the penalty area. Danelian had already been cautioned for a late tackle, and he was now shown a second yellow. Jordan Davies scored from the resulting penalty.
Letcombe added a third in the opening minutes of the second half. Pryce was again the provider as he cut in from the right. His shot appeared to be blocked on the line by a defender`s arm, but Ben Hummel was on hand to head the rebound into the net.
Three down and a man short, Wargrave`s task looked impossible, but they responded valiantly. A break on the right saw the cross deflect off Letcombe defender Luke Stone into his own net leaving keeper Harry Whitehead helpless, and the hosts added a second on the hour.
Another right wing break saw Joe Wigmore cut inside and drive a low shot just inside the far post. Fowler had a fierce shot well saved by Lallament, but Letcombe scored their fourth with ten minutes remaining, Pryce racing through the middle and placing the ball past the advancing keeper.
Wargrave reduced the arrears within a minute, the dangerous Fred Kirby firing a loose ball into the net from 10 yards.
Letcombe finally made the game safe in added time. Pryce was pulled back as he raced clear, and Wargrave`s George Hepburn was shown a second yellow card having already been cautioned for dissent. Kieran Kerby curled the resulting free kick over the wall into the top corner. A member of the Wargrave technical team was shown a red card after the final whistle.
A pleasing performance by Letcombe against a side who are third in the Thames Valley League Premier Division. They were clearly the better team throughout the game, but perhaps were guilty of complacency when the game appeared over at 3-0. Another pleasing feature was the way in which Letcombe kept their discipline and had no cautions whilst the hosts had numerous cards in a game well controlled by referee Bullock.
