Heads held high in defeat

Against a team that narrowly missed out on the opportunity for promotion to the Women’s Championship (the same division as Reading FC Women) last season, Woodley produced a sterling performance that required the visitors to score well taken goals against a resolute defence led by player of the match Gemma Sims and safe goalkeeping by stand in keeper Sophie Measham.

Newly appointed manager Sam Rose brought a full strength Oxford to Bulmershe Pavilion whose players moved the ball freely on a surface made soft by overnight rain and despite wining a number of corners, that the hosts successfully defended, it was not until the twenty seventh minute that Oxford opened the scoring. The ball was worked out wide to Leah Burridge who’s cross from her right touch line found Zoe Barratt who showed good skill to control and turn from the edge of the penalty area to fire pass a diving Measham’s right goal post.

Woodley did not let their head’s drop as they looked to reach half time only conceding once, but Jenna Legg doubled the lead six minutes before the break. Legg reacted first to a Woodley clearance at a corner passing the ball to her right. The ball was played into the host’s penalty area and eventually fell to Legg to slot home from twelve yards.

Oxford raised the tempo after the restart but again Woodley defended well and it took until the sixty second minute before Barratt scored her second and the team’s third after a good passing move saw her receive the ball on the edge of the penalty area, withstand a challenge and shoot low into Measham’s left hand upright.

The scoring was completed two minutes later when Sarah King received the ball on her left wing, cut inside Charley Evans and shot from outside the penalty area and again inside Measham’s left hand upright.

With a shade under half a hour’s play remaining Woodley did not buckle following the two quick goals and successfully saw out the game, to spectator applause, without conceding further.

Despite the loss, this was a day to celebrate grassroots football that saw circa 400 spectators present, twenty nine player mascots representing the club’s girls’ teams and generous support for the Woodley Food Bank appeal the club is running.

Measham, Evans, Haines, Quinn, Simms, Surtees, Hudson, Humphrey (Hobson), Lawrence (Turner) Hamblin (Steadman), Messitt Subs not used: Cheadle & Powell

Pic courtesy of Andy Wicks