www.mywokingham.co.uk
march 2024
SPORT
MyWokingham
39
Ladies on top of the league by Chris Cook BY CHRIS COOK
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t's been a busy month for South Berkshire's 11 teams in all action in the South Central Hockey League. Leading the way are the Ladies 5th team who sit top of their Division by 2 points from Wycombe after 4 wins and one defeat in the month, hitting 20 goals in the process. The Ladies 4th team are second in their division, only on goal difference
Woodley basketball
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re you looking for great Basketball in Reading UK? We are a Wessex Basketball League club based in Reading, Berkshire. Providing competitive, fun, and inclusive basketball for all. https://woodleybasketball.com
Have a taste of bowling
Woodley Bowling Club is inviting residents to attend their open days and have a taste of the sport. As part of the celebration for its 60th anniversary, the club is holding open days on Saturday 27th April and Saturday 11th May, from 2pm to 5pm, at the club’s home in Woodford Park. Bring the whole family and learn more about bowls, enjoy cake and refreshments and have a go at playing. The club welcomes people of all abilities to join and takes part in a mixture of friendly and competitive matches during the season. Members will be on hand to answer questions and help you get started if you want to join the club. If you are attending one of the open days, you are advised to wear soft-soled shoes on the green, but everything else is provided. To find out more, visit www.woodleybowlingclub.co.uk
with Reading. It's been an undefeated month for the Ladies with six wins scoring 13 goals and just conceding 3. The Ladies 1st team holds fourth in their division. Level with Havant on goal difference, the stand-out highlight this month was a 0-7 away win at Alton and a 2-2 draw with second placed Winchester. The Ladies 2nd team won just two matches this month with victories over Milton Keynes (1-6) and Sonning (1-4) but with 5 defeats, the Ladies sit 8th in the league but are a good 10 points away from the danger zone for relegation. The Ladies 3rd team looked doomed to relegation after picking up just 3 points this month and now lay 11th in the division and are five points from safety with only three games left. The Mens 1st team had a mixed month, starting well with two draws then a run of four defeats followed before winning away at Oxford University (4-5) and a home draw with Marlow (33) leaving them in 11th spot and fighting to stay in the top league.
The Mens 2nd team enjoyed three wins and two draws but a defeat away at Sonning has left them 8th in the division but eight points away from the relegation zone. The Mens 3rd team had two big wins over Staines (7-0) and Oxford (5-1) but with two defeats have slipped away from the title chase and sit in third. It was much the same story for the Mens 4th team despite a 6-1 win over Amersham. Losses against league leaders Abington (1-5) and lowly Reading (3-4) have left them in 3rd spot, four points off second position. The Men's 5th team could only manage three draws this month and now sit in 8th spot, seven points above the danger zone. The honours for best Men's team goes to the 6th team. With five wins and two draws they are in the top spot and now face a title showdown match at Cantley Park this Saturday against second placed Slough who are a point behind but have played a game more.
Another Royal blow by Ollie Cater
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eading’s 2-point deduction on the 27th of February for failing to pay dues to HMRC within the 80-day limit set by the EFL marks the fifth point deduction since November 2021, now totaling 18 points in all, and the sixth for the 23/24 campaign. Despite off-pitch struggles, the Royals are one of the in-form teams in League 1. Their form since the start of 2024 would position them comfortably in sixth place in the league table, having collected 18 points with 5 wins, 3 draw, and 3 loses. However, with the unfortunate point deductions, the battle to stay out of the relegation zone continues. Manager Rubén Sellés has been getting the most out of his squad on the pitch. There was much fear around the club during the January transfer window that mass selling would occur to balance the books. Six players departed, including homegrown Tom Mclntyre, who joined Portsmouth for a mere £75,000, and academy grad-
About Ollie Ollie Cater is a passionate Reading FC supporter and the owner of Reading FC-inspired clothing brand Royal Calcio www.royalcalcio.co.uk
uate Thomas Holmes, who signed for Premier League Luton Town for an undisclosed fee and was loaned straight back to Reading until the end of the season. Keeping hold of their important at-
tacking players has been key to recent results. Creative midfielder Lewis Wing has been one of the standout stars, not only at the club but also in the League. Sellés has given him a free role in center midfield, where he has been dictating games and scoring beautiful strikes against Wycombe, Fleetwood, Carlisle, and Portsmouth. In-and-out-of-form striker Harvey Knibbs is back to scoring goals with a brace in a 1-3 win away to Carlisle. 1,300 travelling Royals made the 600mile round trip from Berkshire to see their team pick up another three points.
