No Bad Shots here!

Town welcomed Badshot Lea of the Combined Counties League Premier Division to Scours Lane.

Young keeper Harry Stiff was making his debut and he showed good composure in the early stages shifting the ball onto his favoured left foot to clear following several back passes. The away team had a lot of the ball in the first five minutes without creating much. Woodley's first chance of the game fell on the six minute mark when central midfielder Jason Awbery shot wide from twenty yards. Moments later Town took the lead. Adam Cashin-Murray's corner on the left was headed towards goal by Woodley captain Gary Smith, the centre back's effort was cleared by the Badshot defence straight to Carlton Cox who smashed it into the top left corner from 25 yards out. A great goal, fitting for such an historic occasion.

Badshot had a chance to level the game when Seb Costello crossed to Brad Smith but Smith made poor contact and his shot was comfortably saved by Stiff. Captain Gary Smith, having a commanding game at the back, winning lots of headers, doubled Town's lead in the thirteenth minute. Left back Matt Molloy won a free kick on the left wing and Cashin-Murray’s cross was headed in by the centre back. Three minutes later Steven Campbell won a corner for the home side that saw Jason Awbery put a left footed in-swinger into the box and the corner found a Town head but the chance went wide.

Costello then came close for the visitors, a difficult off-balance shot from eighteen yards which just missed to the right. Twenty minutes gone and a Badshot free kick was charged down by Smith. Eight minutes later and a scramble in the Town box resulted in Badshot having a few quick fire attempts. Woodley managed to get bodies in the way and the shots were blocked. Badshot right back Rob Parrott put in a dangerous cross following some trickery on the wing but Stiff confidently came out to catch the cross.

Thirty four minutes in and the home side went three up. Striker Campbell, slotted through one on one by Dominic Allen, took his chance brilliantly, placing the ball under Matt Watson in the Badshot goal. Three nil Town. Fantastic performance so far against a team in the division above.

Ten minutes before the break and a great move by Woodley was thwarted by the visitors. Centre back TImon Douglin cut out a through ball and passed to Cox, who then sent Campbell in down the left, his cross was cut out at the back post by a Badshot defender as Cashin-Murray was waiting to nod in at the back post. Shame really, as it was a good bit of play.

A scare for the home side minutes later as Josh Pearson went through one on one with Stiff, but the Town goalie is untroubled though as Pearson dragged his shot wide of Stiff's left post. Another good chance for the visitors to get back into the game on the thirty ninth minute. Brad Smith shot into the ground which took all the pace off the ball and Stiff saved comfortably. As the first half neared its end, Douglin was lucky not to go into the book for dissent.

Just before half time Stiff pulled off the save of the game. Diving to his right the youngster miraculously got a hand on a powerful shot and tipped it wide. The resulting corner was met by a strong Michael Siemak header which went high and wide to the left. That was the final chance of a first half that saw Woodley take their chances and the visitors waste several good opportunities.
Stiff in the home goal was having a fantastic debut and Awbery and Smith were playing very well too.

Woodley made a change at the break with Jack Hoad replacing the injured Molloy at left back. Molloy departed due to a groin injury. The second half started with a flurry of chances for the visitors. Costello met a cross at the back post with a diving header but it missed to the left. Then a dangerous cross flashed across the Town goal mouth evading everyone. Moments later Stiff made his first save of the second half coolly gathering a decent shot from Dayo Oshitola. Darren Blake then just missed to the left as the away team started the second half strongly. The pressure continued as Badshot won a free kick right on the edge of the penalty area; many of the away team protested to the referee insisting that they foul was in the box and they should have had a penalty. The free kick was struck firmly but Town left midfielder Jordan Goddard blocked the chance.

Goddard had a chance to make it four fifty five minutes in following a good run by Campbell but the young winger’s shot went high and wide. The away team continued to press as Pearson’s shot from a tight angle on the left went wide to the right. On the hour mark Douglin headed clear following a nice move by Badshot. The away team's Gavin Muir was then sent clear one on one but showed no composure and blasted over. You have to take those chances and that's two one-on-ones the visitors have had and they failed to test the keeper on both occasions.

Woodley then made a second sub with Lemar Maycock replacing striker Dom Allen. Allen had worked really hard for the team and held the ball up well. The home side looked to Maycock's blistering pace to catch Badshot on the counter. Twenty minutes left and a quickly taken free kick found Campbell but the chance came to nothing. Moments later the striker had another chance but he sliced wide. Campbell was then replaced by Mikey Alleyne. With both Town strikers off, Cashin-Murray went up top with Maycock playing wide on the right.

Fifteen minutes to go and Stiff was once again called into action, saving smartly. The resultant corner bounced off Maycock and was cleared off the line. Entering the final ten minutes, a Badshot consolation was ruled out for offside. Douglin then went into the book for a foul. It was nearly four for the home side in the 90th minutes when Cashin-Murray shot wide, the talented midfielder had options either side but took the chance himself. With the game well into injury time Cox nearly got his second of the game but miskicked in the box. The final chance of the game saw Cashin-Murray spot the Badshot keeper off his line, from forty yards out he tried his luck but Watson saved well.

Seconds later the ref blew for full time. 3-0 Woodley. A fantastic result and performance on a historic day.

Although there were strong performances all over the pitch that culminated in a fantastic team performance, 18 year old 'keeper Harry Stiff took the man of the match honours with a very assured display between the sticks.

Stiff, Gonzalez, Molloy (Hoad), Douglin, Smith, Awbery, Cox, Cashin-Murray, Campbell (Alleyne), Allen (Maycock), Goddard Subs not used, Barham, Groves