Isthmian South Central 4 May 2025
Uxbridge 2
- Ada Okorogheye (45+2’)
- George Moore (74’)
Hanworth Villa 1
- Guy Ansah-Palmer (17’)
Match Report
This is a match report we never wanted to write.
For the second time in three years, Hanworth Villa fell at the final hurdle in the promotion play-off final in front of 1,535 fans at Honeycroft.
Despite a courageous performance where we fought tooth and nail and took an early lead through Guy Ansah-Palmer, it wasn’t enough in a 2-1 defeat away to Uxbridge.
This means we will remain in the Isthmian League South Central Division One next season.
In 2023, we went 1-0 up at Walton & Hersham FC and lost 3-1 in similar circumstances. It still has been the club’s most successful season yet though, as we achieved our highest-ever league finish of third place in a fiercely competitive league.
Haughney said: “For large periods of the game I thought we were probably the better team. I think what hurts most is we go 1-0 up in both games and not get over the line.
“They’ve had a few chances and they’ve taken the one that matter, and we weren’t quite ruthless enough. I’m gutted for the volunteers and devastated for them, because they’ve deserved promotion the effort they’ve put into the club.”
Haughney named an unchanged starting XI, choosing to stick with the same players that beat Ascot United 2-1 in the play-off semi-final.
As Villa have built up a reputation of playing long-ball football and being effective from set-pieces, many predicted us to struggle on an artificial 3G turf our opponents were more suited to.
Yet we got off to the perfect start in the 17th minute. Josh Casey’s corner was spilt by George Legg, and Ansah-Palmer reacted quickest to tap in the loose ball on his 150th appearance for the club.
Villa continue threatening Legg’s goal, with Ben Geraghty and Ibrahim Jalloh having efforts saved before Sam Merson’s half volley was deflected wide.
Haughney said: “I thought we came out of the blocks brilliantly for half an hour. But we started leaving gaps in defence and up top we were too high. I felt we were just too deep that their midfielders were able to make passes out wide.”
Uxbridge’s threat was always there, with right-back Joshua Addae’s crossing ability from his frequent overlaps.
The home side’s Dan Fosu then had a golden opportunity in the 42nd minute but rolled the ball past the wrong side of the post with Mark Smith rooted to the spot.
Uxbridge’s persistence finally paid off in the first half stoppage time though, as Addae’s cross was headed in from close range by Ada Okorogheye.
A tense second half began, with both sides knowing a small mistake could prove catastrophic.
Just before the hour mark, Villa carved out an opportunity after George Wells did well to keep the ball in play on the left touchline. His cross was flicked on by Merson, onto Geraghty’s path but the latter’s strike was parried away by Legg,
Disaster struck in the 74th minute, after Villa failed to deal with a long ball forward. George Moore pounced on the loose ball, dribbled towards goal and unleashed a well-placed left-footed curler into the bottom corner.
Haughney said: “If you don’t get tight enough to someone like George Moore, you let him turn and he scores a stunner like that. Full credit to Uxbridge, they’ve had to defend and be brave, they did it. They got the goal which was a sucker punch.”
Villa threw on Louis Collins and Abdullah Javaid in the 83rd minute in search of a late equaliser, but it was too little too late. Goalkeeper Smith raced up for a late corner, but nothing materialised and Uxbridge held on for the win.
Haughney said: “I think we can be proud of getting to another play-off final, but it’s winning and losing, and you got to get over the line. We got to win, it’s what we do this for. We want to be winners and today we were the loser. So got to suck that up now.”
Villa will have a brand new artificial 4G pitch at Rectory Meadow to be completed in the coming months.
Haughney added: “So much to look forward to in the football club with a new pitch going down, and like you see today, the amount of numbers that come and supported us is a far cry from, I think, 16 attendance during my first game when we were bottom of step five.
“It’s gonna hurt for a while and then we will get refocused and we’ll have a plan for next season.”