BINFIELD’s 3-1 win over Wantage at Hill Farm Lane on Monday was overshadowed by an injury to Jack Thomson-Wheeler, writes Dave Wright.

The young right-back suffered a broken fibula in a challenge which saw Wantage’s Ryan Markham given a straight red card after 32 minutes. He will be out of action for at least six weeks.

To add to manager Roger Herridge’s woes, Josh Howell also had to leave the field injured, while Gary Smith was left limping for much of the second half, with the Moles having already used up all three substitutes.

But they, too, finished this Hellenic League Premier Division game with 10 men after left-back Charlie Tuttle had been shown a second yellow card.

Early on, however, it looked as if it was going to be Binfield’s lucky night with Wantage skipper Chris Jackson slicing Jemel Johnson’s right-wing cross into his own net to give the hosts a 10th-minute lead.

They twice went close to increasing it before they lost possession high up the field and Jack Dunmall led a swift counter-attack which ended with a left-wing cross being headed home by Steve Robertson.

The Moles regained the lead in stoppage time at the end of the first half with a superb effort from Ian Davies and they deservedly led at half-time.

Davies had a good chance to score again in the 65th minute, only to lose out to keeper Curtis Meare in a one-on-one situation.

But shortly afterwards, they did extend their advantage thanks to substitute Danny Horscroft, who squeezed the ball home from an acute angle.

Binfield were reduced to 10 men in the 74th minute when Tuttle was shown his second yellow card to follow his one shortly before half-time, but they comfortably held Wantage at bay for the rest of game and deserved their win.

Herridge stated: “It wasn’t a great game to watch as there was not a lot of football played between two committed sides, but we got the three points and that was all that mattered.

“Before the game, I told my players, I don’t care how we play, as long as we win, so I am pleased with that.”

With players nursing knocks, Herridge faces a few selection problems ahead of their home game with Ardley United on Friday (7.45pm).

Binfield, whose fixture at Brimscombe & Thrupp last Saturday was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch, move up to ninth in the table, with at least two games in hand on all the sides above them.

Next Tuesday (7.45pm) the Moles visit Division One East side Woodley United at Rivermoor Stadium in the second round of the Perpetua Press Floodlit Cup.