WOKINGHAM & EMMBROOK hit three past Penn & Tylers Green to earn victory in a game where they paid tribute to lifelong fan Richard Croyden after his passing.
It was a different start to the home game for Sumas this week. Firstly, the on field line up with a minute applause in memory of Richard Croyden, Wokingham Town and Wokingham & Emmbrook former assistant director and loyal supporter for 60 of his 80 years who passed away recently.
The game then began with total surprise as the Sumas scored two goals in two minutes, in the opening two minutes of the game to make a remarkable start.
Sumas had an easy approach both times with the barn door wide open at the back and nobody to dodge past allowing Callum Eagle to put the pass into the net beating keeper Kamil Zelechowsky.
The young keeper had a similar case a minute later when Jake White made the score two nil with the second goal in the second minute. The visitors must have been stung by the first minute goal and really rattled by the second
However, they managed to get to grips since there were no more goals in the first half and the third came near the end of the game. Liam Eagle had moved up into attack and his effort went straight to the Penn keeper.
After a free kick to Penn, the team rallied and a corner kick followed for Penn. This was cleared by Sumas defence and then James Hancock took the ball down to the corner flag successfully beating off the defenders and eventually reaching the area and Sean Woodward parried two closely followed shots with the ball eventually leading to a free kick to Sumas.
Josh Harris sent the ball forward but it went direct to the Penn Keeper. Nathan Green sent a long cross but Liam Eagle headed the ball back to Woodward. Penn gained a free kick for offside and returned the ball up-field and Sean Woodward made a great take before the ball came back from the middle of the park and a strong strike by Nathan Green hit the crossbar.
Penn had recovered from the opening shock by now and defended as Liam Eagle headed over the Penn cross bar. Then Mike Duffy sent a through ball to Tom Fifield but the defence dealt with that attack.
Jake White broke through but the ball was deflected out for a corner to Sumas. Somehow the Penn keeper got a long way out of his goalmouth but scrambled back in time to deal with the situation in a crowded area. Curtis Stone gave Penn a flash of optimism with a shot that was blocked in a cluttered defence and that produced nothing and soon after Josh Howell was tripped and Sumas had a free kick. He took it himself and the ball was on target but Penn’s keeper took the ball directly.
Duffy had the ball a good distance out but directly in front of goal and screwed the ball very wide. Penn finished the half with an effort sailing over the Sumas’ bar.
Sean Woodward made a save which prevented Penn from reducing the arrears early in the second half but Josh Harris took a free kick which went behind for a corner.. With plenty of defending to concentrate on although the 2 goal cushion was holding up, Sumas defence had been pushed back but Marcus Guest squeezed the ball out of play for a corner to Penn. Jake White made way for Elliott Rushforth as Sumas made a second change.
There was some good ball possession play in the vicinity of the corner flag until the ball went away and Josh Harris took a free kick which went into the hands of the Penn keeper. Luke Scope who had worked hard throughout the game as usual made way for Will Good.
Penn followed up with a free kick as well which was wasted and Olufemi missed as the play then went to the other end where Josh Harris hammered home a cracking goal to finish off the game. Three points with three goals for Wokingham & Emmbrook who face table toppers Risborough Rangers at home next Saturday.
Wokingham & Emmbrook: Woodward, [GK], Carter, Byrne, Cummskey, L. Eagle, C. Eagle., Guest, Harris, Scope, White, Edwards.
Substitutes: E. Day Rushforth,. Good,
Report by Arthur Strand
