Ladies go nap

Playing into a strong first half wind, Woodley produced a disciplined performance that restricted promotion chasing Barton Rovers to very few chances while scoring the only goal of the half after twenty eight minutes.

The match started with the home team winger Amelia Sergent looking lively on the right flank but Rovers were struggling to capitalise on this with United’s defence marshalled by Ellen Surtees and Gemma Bloor able to deal with crosses to the extent that Woodley’s keeper Emily Sherwood had little to deal with.

With Sergent switched to the left flank Barton started to play the longer ball that suited Woodley who were able to win it and pose problems on the break with Beks Lowes and Clara Stringer strong in midfield, May Hamblin and Mollie Haines positive on the wings and Tiff Newland showing quick speed up front.

Haines came closest to opening the scoring shooting straight at Barton keeper Carly Chilton. The goal came following Surtees long pass that saw Hamblin head the ball past the advancing Chilton and then see her follow up goal bound shot deflect of the a defender into the goal.

The home team responded but were thwarted by players being off side and the closest an equaliser came was when a shot was put into the side netting.

Barton introduced Tina Brett at the break and a change of formation with three up front saw them start the second half in dangerous fashion but again Bloor and Stringer, who had dropped into defence for the substituted Surtees, were outstanding.

United’s second goal came on a counter attack following a Barton corner awarded following a diving save from Sherwood from a Steph Nelson shot. The corner was cleared to left back Holly Wilkins who fed the Maddy Sawyer in midfield. Sawyer in turn split the home defence with her pass to Newland who comfortable shot pass Chilton on fifty nine minutes.

Rovers responded by going three at the back and pushing a further player forward. This resulted in a goal being disallowed for a combination of offside and a foul on Sherwood and a shot that hit the base of the post. However, United’s pace continued to cause problems and a third goal arrived in the eighty-ninth minute to inflict only the second league defeat of the season on the hosts.

Newland was denied by Chilton when one on one with Chilton parrying the ball to Haines. The Woodley winger passed the ball into the penalty area for Rose Page-Smith to score unchallenged with two defenders on the goal line. Sadly Chilton was injured when saving from Newland and was substituted before the restart.

Congrats to Sherwood on her first clean sheet of the season.

The win takes the team up to fifth position with a trip to Fleet Town next Sunday.