Combined Counties Division One
EVERSLEY & CALIFORNIA ended 2021 in style by hitting five past AFC Aldermaston.
The Boars made the best start possible and flew in front after just 20 seconds when Ross Mckernan latched onto the rebound of Brad Brown’s shot to score.
Eversley found themselves two goals in front in the 15th minute when Jamie Griggs met Harinder Hunjan’s corner and powered a header past the goalkeeper.
Matty Angell’s team notched a third goal before the break when Harinder Hunkan broke free of the offside trap and squared the ball across for Brown who slotted it in to give them a 3-0 lead.
Reece Buckett continued Eversley’s tremendous afternoon when he lobbed the keeper from 35 yards out to put them four in front.
Eversley capped off the perfect away performance with a fifth when Lewis Wall smashed a shot into the top corner from 30 yards out.
The victory sees Eversley in fourth in the table with 42 points from 22 matches.
Eversley manager Angell said: “Such a great way to end our year with a great performance in difficult conditions. This group gets better each week and really proud of everyone involved at Eversley & California FC, come such a long way in the last 12 months. Now prepare for the second half of the season.”
Eversley & California: Pidgeon, Dickie, Moriarty, Griggs, Pantony, Blackie, Catt, Wint, Brown, Singh, Mckernan
Subs: Buckett, Wall, Farruggia, Frewin, Gill
Combined Counties Premier North
WOKINGHAM & EMMBROOK are just a place off the bottom of the table after defeat to Ascot United.
Ascot started strongly and troubled the Sumas defence after just two minutes but skipper Cummuskey turned the ball over the crossbar.
But the hosts ensured they took advantage of their fast start and netted from the resulting corner through Gutteridge.
Goalkeeper Aron Kanyai came up with an important save just a few minutes after to prevent Wojingham from falling further behind.
Ascot continued to create chances and put pressure on the Sumas’ backline and doubled their advantage in the 12th minute when the visitors failed to clear their lines from a corner and Gutteridge converted at the back post.
Eliot Whitehouse’s team grabbed a goal back to get back in the contest in the 28th minute when Clark beat several Ascot defenders before he slotted the ball past the keeper.
Clark had a chance to find a second before the break with a free header but was denied by Ascot keeper Sam Gray which kept United in the lead at half-time.
The Yellamen restored their two-goal advantage early after the restart when Daniel Bailey scored from a corner.
The home side found a fourth on the hour mark to put Ascot into a commanding lead.
With 15 minutes to go, Chris Robson smashed in a sensational strike from 25 yards into the top corner to claw a goal back for the Sumas.
Josh Harris had the chance to set up a grand stand finish when he played Olly Noyes through one-on-one, but he was thwarted by the keeper.
But the Sumas were unable to force the issue and fell to a 4-2 loss.
Wokingham are in 17th position in the Combined Counties Premier North with 12 points from 18 matches, one point above bottom side Holyport having played two less games.
Wokingham & Emmbrook: Kanyai, O’Connell, Cummuskey (c), Badshah, Tuttle, Riley, Carter, Shaw, Curtis, Harris, Clark
Subs: Robson, Hodge, Pearson, Noyes
READING CITY ended the calendar year with a heavy home defeat to Tadley Calleva.
The away team made a bright start, and created an early opening from a corner but stabbed the ball wide from a corner.
City goalkeeper Charlie York then made an important stop when he turned a goalbound shot over the bar.
York got in the way of another effort just a few minutes later to keep the game scoreless.
The Cityzens then created two chances of their own when Joe Pilling found Tyler D’Cruz but he couldn’t direct his effort on goal, before the hosts were unable to convert following a goal mouth scramble.
Tadley then struck the frame of the goal when they stole possession from Reading, only to be denied by the crossbar.
Reading broke down the other end with a two-on-one following Tadley’s missed chance but couldn’t capitalise.
Just moments later, Tadley hit the bar again with a powerful volley as the half came to a close with no change to the score.
Five minutes after the restart, City took the lead when captain Jemel Johnson sent the goalkeeper the wrong way from the penalty spot to open the scoring.
Tadley were only behind for two minutes when Ben Wright levelled the game.
The away team completed a quick turnaround and were in front two minutes later.
Tadley found a third in a remarkable spell in the game to race into a 3-1 lead in the 64th minute.
The visitors put the game beyond doubt in the 76th minute with a fourth to secure a 4-1 victory.
The result means that Reading remain in 12th position after 19 matches on 21 points.
Reading City: York, Desousa, Baker, Baines, Gallimore, Grant, Le Paih, Pilling, D’Cruz, Touray, Johnson (c)
Subs: Parker, Holder, O’Kelly, Davis, Butcher