When Oxford Downs walked off the field on the final Saturday of the Home Counties Premier League season, second place in Division One felt less like an ending than a beginning.
Twelve months ago, fifth place in their first year at the top table had been a marker of progress; this summer, the club from Standlake went further still, their runners-up finish a statement of intent that the “upstart” village side are no longer gatecrashers, but mainstays.
“It’s very positive for us,” came the verdict afterwards. “We feel that we’ve made another step in improvement and showed everyone in the league that we can be consistent year on year. We’re extremely happy with our second-place finish – and it’s up to us to keep that up.”
Consistency, then, was the word that defined their year – forged not just in the triumphs but in the scrapes. If April had brought nerves and optimism in equal measure, the very first game at Aston Rowant delivered something else: resilience. From “a tricky situation” to victory, Downs discovered the steel of a side that could go the distance. By the time of the return fixture – 20 for 5 and staring down defeat – they found another way, batting out 50 overs for a draw. “Both really gave the side confidence we can fight well in difficult situations rather than succumbing to losses at the start and midway points of the season.”
There were performances to match the narrative. Luke Maslen, lean in the early weeks, blossomed into one of the league’s top ten run scorers, his 168 against Henley a match-winner that travelled beyond county borders and into National Counties cricket with Oxfordshire. Tom Costley, back from a knee injury, delivered a season of 33 wickets, 13 catches, three runouts and a reminder of what they had missed.
On the hottest of afternoons, they beat Stoke Green by three o’clock – and celebrated long into the evening. On the toughest of days, they fell short at High Wycombe, “not competing to the standard we set ourselves” – a result that ultimately separated champions from challengers.
Through it all, though, the club’s character showed: “We’ve got a lot of interesting characters in the club… we feel we get the best out of the team when everyone is enjoying their Saturday, keeping it light-hearted while being serious where necessary.”
That ethos has stretched beyond the XI. In Standlake, the village turned out once more – volunteers, live streams, commentary – making Downs’ ground feel like the heart of something bigger. “It really adds to a club atmosphere we all enjoy playing at.”
Local derbies gave them an edge: Banbury and Aston Rowant, the established names, remain the benchmarks. But Downs’ ability to go toe-to-toe with them is proof of how far they’ve come.
And yet, satisfaction is only half the story. Because the bar has now been set higher. “With a second-place finish going into next year, that can only mean looking to win the league. Of course, we know there are some very strong sides in the league… but as always we’ll reassess our goals as we progress.”
If they could achieve one thing? The answer is simple, unflinching, and ambitious.
“Win the league.”
