After a great start to the new league season last weekend, it was time to turn our attentions to the Berks & Bucks Cup as we welcomed Finchampstead Athletic to Desborough Park & once again there was plenty of goals as we came out winners in a 10 goal thriller.
The game started badly for us as we conceded a penalty within 2 minutes into the game after the skipper blatantly tripped the attacker within the box after getting the ball stuck between his feet. Only for debutant keeper Ross Palethorpe to start with an instant impact & save the resulting spot kick, saving with his legs as he dived to his left but sharp reaction saw him force a corner from his save.
We went 1-0 up in around the 10th minute of the game after a great corner put in by Matthew Hillier & was met by James Murdoch with a competent finish. The lead soon doubled with Sam Browne with one of his first of 4 goals with a good finish from inside the box after some good work by Andrej Szymczky. The opponents did hit back with there own response with a well work goal on the right hand side following an exchange of passes leading to a neat finish from the winger to put the game back into contention for them.
In the 30th minute Matthew Hiller scored his second goal of the season, with a good finish from just inside the box after Sam Browne laid it back to him. But straight after the kick off The Crown switched off too soon as Finchampstead hit back immediately with a long range strike after some sloppy defending right from the restart. For The Crown to have their own response and regain that 2 goal cushion with Sam Browne scoring our next goal with another good finish from inside the box, already putting him in contention for top goal-scorer for the season to follow up last season accolades. Leaving the score at halftime 4-2 and still in the balance
Into the 2nd Half & The Crown started to find their rhythm & was rewarded with 2 more goals for Sam Browne, one similar to his earlier strike with Andrej Szymczyk being the provider again. The 2nd being a simple route 1 goal after a long ball by David Butler for Sam Browne to have the composure to lob on onrushing goalkeeper to put The Crown well on there way to victory. The visitors did also score in between with a counter attack down their left hand side crossing into the back post where the striker got himself on the score sheet with headed finish.
But any hopes they may have had of a possible comeback were dashed when Daniel Clarke came off the bench to score with his first effort on goal with Andrej Szymczyk being the provider for our last goal to make that 4 assists in the game, as he’s tipped for one of many players to have had a great start to the season.
In the end it was a comfortable victory, but was certainly not the case at the start of the match. All in all, it was a great game of football and we are thru to the 2nd round of the cup.
