Dominant first half maintains promotion push

AFC Henley over 50s maintained their Oxfordshire Veterans League promotion push with a solid 4-2 home win last Sunday.

A blistering first half performance saw Henley race into a 3-0 lead. The opening goal was a composed finish by striker Richard Jones when put through one-on-one.

The second goal arrived when the league’s top scorer, Costa Onisor, rounded the goalkeeper following a through ball by Ian Plumpton. Plumpton then got on the end of a Panos Kounidis corner with a bullet header at the far post.

Hazlemere pulled a goal back when a corner was initially punched clear by goalkeeper Alan Draper only for the ball to be collected on the byline and the cross directed to the far post and headed in.

The second half was a much more open affair with the linesman’s flag denying Onisor a second goal. However, he was rewarded for his efforts two minutes later with the fourth goal.

Goalkeeper Draper was busier in the second half and did well to tip a header on to the cross bar and both Ernesto Gomes and Plumpton helped with clearances off the line.

Hazlemere pulled a goal back from a corner despite Draper appearing to be held by a visiting player. Henley were denied a penalty late on when Onisor was brought down in the area.

The visitors’ second goal gave them renewed energy and Henley saw the game through with a battling last
15 minutes.