Hellenic Premier Division

Woodley United 1

Brimscombe and Thrupp 2

By Richard Joyce

Sam Blackie’s brace helped Brimscombe and Thrupp to a fantastic three points on the road at Woodley United.

The midfield man’s superb double helped the Lilywhites mark the official midpoint of their Hellenic Premier season with their eleventh league win of the campaign in testing conditions at Rivermoor.

Despite having players missing and having a number of individuals playing out of position Brimscombe made a bright start with Blackie and John Evans both registering early efforts before the former broke the deadlock midway through the half.

One-time Gloucester City youth team defender Elijah Simpson’s outstanding forward run saw him thread a pass through to Blackie, who followed up his goal at Abingdon United in midweek with a calm finish to open the scoring.

Woodley’s response saw Owen Davies fire over and Brimscombe goalkeeper Ashley Gale was tested by a Sam Guze half-volley from distance – but the Berkshire side would eventually level.

A corner saw their leading marksman Danny Horscroft allowed too much room in the box and he planted a header past the helpless Gale.

Two Ollie Pitt chances at the end of the first half almost saw Brimscombe reclaim the lead before the break, and after a dominant second half showing Sam Prior’s charges would go on to claim the three points.

Chances fell the way of substitute Ben Deakin as well as Pitt and Evans, whose header was cleared off the line, while the attacking persistence told when Blackie went on to claim his second and his team’s winner.

Brilliant combination play saw Pitt feed the ball into Jack Smith. The strikers touch around the corner to Blackie saw him finish confidently past the on rushing Alex Reed in the Woodley goal to put his side in front.

There were further opportunities for Brimscombe to extend their lead towards the finish.

A stunning counter-attack on 78 minutes saw Pitt denied after he had got on the end of Dan Hill’s inch perfect pass, while an outstanding save from Reed kept out Christien Turner’s headed attempt five minutes from time.

On the lookout for his hat-trick, Blackie was denied near the end by Reed’s stop after he’d latched onto Deakin’s through ball, but his two goals were enough to help Brimscombe to a fine three points on the road.

WOODLEY: Reed, Barley, Hagger, Ledger, Kamara, Cooper, Davies, Guze, Briggs, Horscroft, Samuel-Harman, Kamara, Thomas, Hinds, Richardson

BRIMSCOMBE: Gale, Pitts, Simpson, Greenhough, Turner, Evans, Blackie, Major (Deakin), Hill, Pitt, Smith, Pates

Referee: Steve Williams