Defeated in style!

United’s season came to an end in an exciting game that saw both teams looking to finish the season on a high.

Alton started the stronger forcing two corners in the opening minutes following clearances from Ellen Surtees and Gemma Bloor before United settled with May Hamblin having a cross caught by the visitors’ keeper Chelsea Fox and good play by Maddie Sawyer and Mollie Haines resulted in Nicole Haines firing wide.

Alton responded with Tiff Taylor hitting the crossbar while Hamblin was denied by Fox, all in the opening fifteen minutes of the game. The pace of the game settled but it needed Surtees to make a timely challenge on the half hour while Maddie Shuff and Eshe Johnson both hit the Woodley cross bar in quick succession before Hamblin was denied following being adjudged off side.

With the game into its second minute of stoppage time following earlier injuries to Woodley’s Clara Stringer and Nicole Haines, Alton won a corner, from which they scored in controversial fashion when keeper Emily Sherwood was bundled into her net when jumping for the ball and only able to parry for an own goal.

United started the second half well passing the ball well and Mollie Haines enjoying good possession on the right flank and looking dangerous every time she went forward. It was a foul on Haines that resulted in Woodley winning a penalty that Rosie Page-Smith converted on fifty one minutes to level the score.

Sherwood saved well to deny Charlotte Crook but could not prevent Chelsie Steward scoring from the rebound on fifty six minutes.

Still the game flowed from end to end. Meg Lebburn wasted a chance to extend Alton’s lead while Mollie Haines got herself into a good scoring position only to be flagged off side. With quarter of an hour remaining substitute Bonnie Messitt looked to have equalised, following good build up play by Mollie Haines and Becs Lowes, but her shot into the corner was deflected by the diving Fox’s foot to safety. From the resulting counter attack Tiffany Taylor fired a shot under the diving Sherwood for Alton’s third. United responded immediately with Messitt volleying home with nine minutes remaining and while the hosts enjoyed the better of remaining minutes that saw Page-Smith and Nicole Haines fire wide, Woodley were unable to level and end the season in fifth position.