Caversham United make history with a win in their first-ever competitive Saturday adult league match

PICTURE: Caversham United Football Club are brand new members to the East Berkshire Football League this season and won in their first-ever competitive match, a 3-2 victory at Prospect in a Reading derby match on Saturday.

Caversham United made some club history by winning in their first-ever competitive Saturday adult league match - a 3-2 victory over Prospect at Calcot Recreation Ground.

The Billygoats have joined the East Berkshire Football League with a new men’s team which adds to the already successful men’s Sunday sides and the Women’s teams at the football club.

Caversham showed their attacking qualities and survived a late scare to emerge victorious in the Reading derby to register their first points in E.B.F.L Division One.

The visitors created the first chance in the match as Ross Blakemore played a through pass down the right-hand side to Matthew Thomas, but his early and low shot across goal was wide of the far post.

The Prospect defence allowed a second opportunity on their goal when stopping in their actions, believing Blakemore was in an offside position. The flag stayed down however, and Blakemore’s volley was blocked bravely by the face of the onrushing goalkeeper, Oskar Sieg.

Blakemore is a forward with bags of energy and he had the pace to get behind the Prospect defence, but again was denied by the onrushing Sieg who was first to the ball and cleared the danger.

The home team’s first sight at goal came when Eman Fenteny shrugged off pressure and a challenge from Kennedy Gyasi, but his long-range effort was well wide of the right-hand post.

The Billygoats had their first-ever goal in competitive Saturday adult football thanks to an impressive free-kick from Bevan Van Wyk in the 27th minute. His set piece 25-yards out and on the left side was whipped towards the near post and Sieg could not get across his goal in time to make the save. The direction of the wind might have helped put some bend on the ball but Van Wyk was clever enough to keep his strike out of the reach of the despairing keeper.

Prospect came close to an equalising goal almost immediately as Kacper Sek raced down the right-hand side but his powerful effort was well saved by Caversham stopper James Waggoner, diving head-height to his right.

The loose ball was picked up by Prospect player-manager, Dawid Jarzebowski, and his shot to the near post was blocked by Ben Hole. There were loud shots of handball but nothing was given by match referee, Matthew Rex.

The hosts were now in a spell of dominance and Jarzebowski played through Jacek Bojda but, the midfielder could not get enough of a touch on the ball to beat the outstretched legs of Waggoner in the Caversham goal.

The chances kept on coming and Caversham missed an opportunity to double their lead. Jack Tapscott delivered the perfect cross from deep on the left to Blackmore. The forward controlled the ball with space inside the box but his shot was wild and well over the crossbar.

There was a half-chance for Prospect when a loose ball fell into the path of Fenteny on the edge of the box, but his rushed effort was sliced well wide of the goal.

Van Wyk impressed in a central midfield position for Caversham in the first half of the game. He beat a challenge to find space on the right edge of the Prospect box but the shot was well off target.

Prospect were awarded a penalty kick on the stroke of half-time when Billygoats keeper, Waggoner, lunged in on Sek. The stopper was adamant that he got a touch on the ball but the referee pointed to the spot.

The home side levelled the scores when the resulting penalty kick from Jarzebowski went in off the underside of the crossbar - the final act in an entertaining first period.

Prospect had a fantastic chance to get their noses in front early on in the second half when Kacper Sek raced into space down the right side and crossed the ball low to the far post. Dawid Jarzebowski was six-yards out and with the goal gapping but, the normally so reliable forward, scuffed his effort wide of the near post.

A first opportunity in the second period for Caversham arrived when Bevan Van Wyk played through Ross Blakemore to brake through a challenge but drag his shot wide of the far post.

Caversham restored their advantage on 55 minutes and it was a gift from Prospect goalkeeper, Oskar Sieg. Billygoats left-back Jack Tapscott delivered a cross to the edge of the penalty box and Sieg got to the ball first, but his punch cannoned off Blakemore at close range and the forward had the simple task of finishing into the unguarded net.

The Billygoats extended their lead in the 67th minute and this goal was down to the hard work and endeavour of Van Wyk. The midfielder got to the byline and broke through three challenges to cross the ball to Blakemore for an easy tap in at the near post.

To their credit, Prospect did not let their heads drop and kept on coming forwards in search of a way back into the derby match. The hosts won back possession but a powerful shot from Jarzebowski from the edge of the box was pushed away by keeper, James Waggoner.

Caversham were at a disadvantage in the last quarter match because goalkeeper, Waggoner, was forced off with a suspected head injury - Jack Tapscott taking over between the sticks for The Billygoats.

Prospect pulled a goal back in the 75th minute and this will be a strong contender for Goal of the Season from Jarzebowski. His powerful free-kick 20-yards out and from the left edge of the box was fired into the top right-hand corner of the net. In fairness to stand-in keeper Tapscott, there was nothing that he, or most professional goalkeepers, could have done to keep out the strike.

Prospect had a couple of opportunities to level the scores inside the final five minutes; first Jacek Bojda was too strong for two tackles on the left wing and picked out Haroub Kinswanya but, he shot was high and wide from 10-yards out. Stand-in stopper, Tapscott, then did well to make a save from a move that started down the Prospect right wing.

The final whistle was met with cheers from the Caversham supporters after their side held on to secure all three points in their first-ever competitive Saturday adult match. In truth, errors in defence and in goalkeeping cost Prospect a chance of taking some points from the derby match.

Caversham United:

Ross Blakemore, Callum Endicott, Callum Fox-Spence, Kennedy Gyasi, Christian Opoku Osei, Jack Tapscott, Matthew Thomas, Bevan Van Wyk, Janos Zverko, Ben Hole, James Waggoner (GK).

Substitutes: Daniel Amponsah, Liam Lukeman and Andrew Mantle

Goals scorers: Bevan Van Wyk, Ross Blakemore (2)

Prospect FC:

Myles Bedwell-Parsons, Jacek Bojda, Arkadiusz Gregula, Dawid Jarzebowski (C), Mariusz Magdziak, Maksymiliam Markowski, Samuel May, Emmanuel Papa Kofi Fenteng, Kacper Sek, Oskar Jaroslaw Sieg (GK), Mikolaj Watroba.

Substitutes: Krzysztof Karczmarzyk, Ryszard Kaminski, Haroub Kiswanya, Thomas Long and Felix Wiart.

Goals scorers: Dawid Jarzebowski (2).

Player of the Match: Bevan Van Wyk (Caversham United, one goal and one assist)

Entertainment Rating: ****