Haughley took the lead in the 10th minute when Seeks found himself through on goal and slotted neatly under the advancing goalkeeper. A long throw-in bounced dangerously in the Haughley penalty area and Solley, trying to head away for a corner kick, sent the ball into his own net for the equaliser just before half time.
An evenly contested match was turned on its head on the hour when Hanley was red carded for retaliating after being “rugby tackled” by the Haughley defender. The Achilles 10 men found extra legs and went into the lead when Van Oene turned in Ryland’s swinging free kick. Henry should have extended the lead but shot tamely from 8 yards after jinking past his full back. Achilles held out against mounting Haughley pressure but finally succumbed with minutes remaining to a Jopling far post header.
Achilles had by far the better of the opening period, determined to disrupt and pressure Henley’s passing game from the off. The home side did have the ball into the net after 15 minutes, but in an almost carbon copy of last week, it was rightly disallowed for a blatant foul on Jones, which saw him bundled in alongside the ball. Achilles were having the better of the chances, but failing to either get past the close attentions of Storey and Sheppard or firing high and wide. Bruce came closest for Henley, his free kick skidding off the greasy surface to bring a good stop from Welton. But the save of the game came from Jones just before the break, as he dived to tip a top corner bound thunderbolt from the ever dangerous Hillyard, round the post to safety. Keeping the score at 0-0 at the break.
Henley looked much better post HT, after 5 minutes Cowan played in Caraccio who was felled from behind on the edge of the six-yard box by Seward, Bruce stepped up and simply smashed in the spot kick for 0-1. Achilles’ heads seemed to drop and Henley started to flow, 18 minutes in, Cowan won back possession and found Bull, he held the ball up brilliantly, before picking out Bruce, his shot taking a slight deflection as it curled past Welton for 0-2. Soon after it was 0-3, a wickedly struck, low free kick from wide left by Bruce, going straight through the Achilles defence, to be bundled home by Golding at the back post. Achilles rallied briefly, ex Henley man Field finding the bottom corner for 1-3, however their hopes were soon dashed, Davison whipping in a fierce free kick from close to the corner flag, which was headed home by Golding for 1-4.
Report from Henley Green'un club notes