Men's 4's Match Reports

Wallingford V 3 vs 1 Bicester IV

Bicester’s unbeaten run in league came to an end in a well fought game against Wallingford. The host’s dominated the game and always looked the most threatening; however sterling defence work meant that they actually had few shots on target. Centre back Mike Shorthouse in his last game this year put in a superb performance thwarting many a dangerous attack. Unfortunately Bicester’s luck did not hold and Wallingford took the lead with a stunning lifted strike into right hand corner which left keeper Gary Brock with no chance. Wallingford then doubled their lead capitalising on a rare defensive error to slide the ball past an unbalanced Brock.

In the second half Bicester changed formation and this helped to improve the situation. There then followed a midfield tussle which on balance Wallingford still won. Bicester did get a stroke of fortune. In one of the few times that they entered the Wallingford D John Barlow’s shot was judged to have been unfairly stopped entering the goal and Chris Birch stepped up to calmly convert the resulting penalty stroke and halve the deficit. Wallingford responded quickly scoring again but the umpire spotted an infringement and the goal was disallowed. With 10 minutes remaining Bicester gambled on getting an equaliser as the outside backs joined the attack and despite these extra players contributing to a couple of scoring opportunities; Bicester were undone as the young fast forwards of Wallingford caught the Bicester defence on the break and the resulting 2 on 1 left keeper Brock with no chance as Wallingford scored their third and ended the contest.

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Bicester IV 2  -  0 Abingdon III

Bicester totally dominated this match against newly demoted Abingdon but will reflect on some poor finishing and not being awarded 3 penalty strokes for the low score line.

From the start Bicester took control of the game and forwards Shaun Varney and Jack Higginson opened up the assault on the Abingdon goal with a number of shots from the top of the D with most shots going wide of the goal. A young inexperienced Abingdon side’s inability to mark closely was exploited particularly on the right hand side of the pitch. This tactic resulted in the opener; Steve Birtles 20 metre pass found Chris Birch in acres of space who drove towards go and fired in a cross, just out of reach of the keeper. On the far post Varney was waiting to slot home the simplest of tap ins. Bicester continued to press and won numerous Penalty corners which they failed to convert.

In the second half Graham Harman stepped up for a penalty corner, slipped the ball past the number one runner and then flicked the ball precisely into the left corner to double the lead. Bicester continued to dominate and Martin Austin returning to the game after a two year break joined in with the shooting practice but failed to find his mark. The defence was hardly troubled but Mike Shorthouse, Joe Johnson and Stuart Lloyd dealt comfortably with most Abingdon threats and keeper Darren Moore was faultless on the occasions he was the last line of defence. In the last 10 minutes Bicester struggled with very tired legs having to have played without any substitutes for this game. Up until the final whistle continued to press to extend their lead in the second Abingdon defeat to Bicester this day but it was not to be.

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Bicester mens  4’s 6 vs 1 Thame 2’s

Bicester maintained their league winning record with another comfortable win, this time over league newcomers Thame II. Bicester put Thame under the cosh from the start and superb goalkeeping kept Bicester out for the first ten minutes until Shaun Varney opened the scoring with a cleverly disguised drag push. Varney soon doubled the Bicester lead with an identical short from a Chris Birch cross. Bicester pressed and were awarded numerous penalty corners but the time that the strikers had on the ball seemed to work against them as all shots were either saved or went wide.

In the second half Bicester knew they had to score first to make the game more comfortable and Varney truly obliged getting his hat rick with some superb work in the D rounding the keeper and slotting the ball home despite being worried but two Thame defenders as he regained control of the ball. Trevor Joseph who had been busy upfront finally saw a reward for his hard work from a set piece. Hugh McCullough fired in a side line hit which Birch tipped from just outside the D catching the defence off balance and Joseph swept home. Joseph then added his second picking up a rebound from a penalty corner and flicking the ball in despite a defender getting a stick to the ball.

With 15 minutes to go Bicester was finally rewarded with a goal from a straight strike in a penalty corner as Steve Birtles found the left hand corner. Despite the score line Thame had always been threatening to score and Jo Johnson, Stuart Lloyd and Mike Shorthouse made sure keeper Darren Moore was hardly threatened but an error from McCullough presented Thame with an opportunity to reduce the deficit which they duly did with a powerful strike out of Moore’s reach in the last few minutes.

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Bicester 4s 4 – 3 Newbury & Thatcham 4

 Games between these two sides are always close encounters and this proved no exception. Two evenly balanced teams battle for dominance in the early stages but it was Bicester that looked the most likely to score. A spell of pressure with the ball being passed neatly around the D enabled Peter Winspear to squeeze off a shot which took the slightest deflection from a defender as it found it’s way into the net. Bicester continued to have more of the play in the Newbury and missed a couple of gilt edged chances for which they would be punished in the second half.

Newbury started the brighter side in the second half and a sublime shot from the top of the D left keeper Simon Bryson Stranded as the ball raced into the corner of the goal. Bicester responded by scoring twice in rapid succession. Superb holding play at the top of the D by Jack Higginson and then a simple lay off to an unmarked Winspear allowed him the simplest of finishes. Shortly after Bicester added a third with Steve Birtles scoring from a well worked penalty corner. Maybe Bicester got complacent with their lead as Newbury fought back; scoring twice from penalty corners and Bicester considered themselves fortunate not to be behind with a goal line clearance from captain Pete English and a third penalty corner goal for the visitors was disallowed. Bicester won a penalty corner at full time and Birtles shot was stopped in front of goal by a foot. Derek Johnson stepped up to take the resulting penalty stroke and his confident powerful flick into the top left hand corner gave the home side the three points.

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Bicester IV v  Banbury IV result 2 vs 1

The North Oxfordshire derby between these two teams once again proved to be a very close affair. Two very strong defences meant that there were very few shots on target in this game. Bicester started more brightly than the visitors keeping possession and within the first two minutes had the first penalty corner of the game; Jack Higginson’s shot going wide. Six minutes later Bicester lost Higginson to a hamstring injury and were forced to play the rest of the game without any substitutes. Banbury began to settle and within 10 minutes took the lead from a brilliantly taken snap shot in the D firing home into the bottom left hand corner. Bicester continued to press and Martin Austin was unlucky not to return parity on two occasions as the Bicester pressure began to bear. Just before the half time whistle Bicester was awarded a penalty corner and scored the equaliser when Gary Kemp on his return from injury pounced on the rebound from Steve Birtles initial shot to calmly flick the ball over the Banbury keeper.

In the second half Bicester dominated play initially laying siege to the Banbury goal but the visitors held firm. However Banbury’s luck eventually ran out when Oz pounced on a loose ball surged into the D and scored with a narrow angle reverse stick shot into the far corner. For the final 15 minutes Banbury pressed for an equaliser pinning most of the Bicester team in their own 23 metre area but Bicester held out to take the three points.

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Newbury & Thatcham IV 2 vs 2 Bicester Mens IV

Bicester threw away the lead twice to once again draw with Newbury in one of two fixtures that survived the weather for Bicester this week.

Featuring a near full strength side Bicester was confident that this fixture which is always keenly contested could go their way. Shortly after the start these chances were further improved when Newbury lost a key player due a calf injury he had sustained in training. Newbury reshuffled but Bicester began to take advantage with Steve Birtles and Graham Harman being to dominate midfield. Newbury looked particularly vulnerable down the right side and Pete Winspear began to exploit this finding Dan Osborn in space to fire in a shot that despite a defender getting a stick to was unable to prevent Bicester opening the scoring. Bicester continued to look threatening whilst Newbury relied on accurate long balls to their forwards to try and breech the Bicester defence. Using this tactic Newbury due level with a simple one two from a pass deep in their own 23m area. Keeper Adam Giles just missed the ball as he dived to block the Newbury forward who passed the ball into an empty net.

The second half saw a more determined display from Newbury as Bicester failed to find its form from the previous half. Bicester regained the lead from a set piece long corner. Chris Birch prepared to pass deep after a call from Alan Shatford. The Newbury defence responded to the call by moving out to block the pass. This provided Birch with a clear run into the D from a self pass before the defence could respond. Birch dribbled into the D, flicked the ball from the by-line to the penalty spot where Osborn was waiting to score his second. Bicester then had opportunities to go two up when Roy carter found himself in space behind the defence but his shot went agonisingly close grazing the outside of the post. Bicester continued to look the side more likely to score but again was undone by the long ball, which found the Newbury left back in the Bicester D with sufficient time to get a bouncing shot away. Bicester applied the pressure for the last ten minutes but failed to achieve the breakthrough and once again had to settle for sharing the points.

Bicester Mens IV 2 vs 0 Henley Men sIV

Bicester IV showed the same issues as ladies first team in a game whereby in the first half they dominated but failed to score. In the second half Henley came more into the game and keeper Adam Giles put in a faultless performance in goal. Bicester finally took the lead trough Alan Shatford’s well placed flick past the stranded Henley keeper and then secured the points later on with man of the match Pete Winspear’s rattling shot from the top of the D giving the keeper no chance.

Bicester IV 3 vs 1 Wallingford

With no easy fixtures in this league, Bicester had to battle in the rain to secure the three points. The first half saw Bicester being by far the stronger side putting Wallingford under a great deal of pressure and took an early lead with the second penalty corner of the game. Martyn Turbayne in his second outing after returning to playing; rifled the ball into the right hand corner form the top of the D giving the keeper no chance.

Bicester maintained the pressure but the start of a fine goalkeeping display from the young Wallingford keeper denied Bicester a second goal until a Miles Tagliferro cross was deflected and looped safely into the D for Turbayne to volley the ball downwards past the keeper as the defence wisely backed off to avoid awarding a penalty stroke. Captain Pete English started to link up nicely with fellow midfielder James Palmer to set up further goal scoring opportunities for the attack but they failed to finish clinically.

From the restart Bicester had opportunities to extend their lead but the Wallingford keeper pulled off some more superb saves. This encouraged Wallingford and the tide began to turn as Wallingford pressured the Bicester goal. Adam Giles pulled off a number of good saves in the Bicester goal; but stood no chance when Wallingford slotted the ball into the bottom right hand corner from a penalty stroke awarded after the ball struck Mike Shorthouse’s foot on the line. Wallingford then pressured for the equaliser but the Bicester defence marshalled by Griff Denton held firm. With five minutes to go pressure was finally relieved with Bicester’s final penalty corner of the game. The Wallingford keeper blocked Turbayne’s flick only to see the ball drop into the path of Tagliferro who tapped the ball home with a reverse stick stroke and effectively ended the contest.

11/10/08  BICESTER MEN’S 4TH XI 3  -  ROVER OXFORD HAMSTERS 6