End of the Wembley trail!

Woodley Town were facing Knaphill in the 2nd Qualifying Round of the FA Vase but after knocking out Badshot Lea in the 1st round Town were unable to get a result, losing 2-0 to a well organised Combined Counties Premier Division team.

The away team started the brighter with Town right back Ben Gonzalez having to be alert, heading behind a dangerous cross. The resulting corner found a Knaphill head but the ball ended up on the roof of the net. Continuing to press, a long ball from the back saw the visitors' striker in one on one with Dan Smith in the Town goal; the forward had plenty of time and space but rushed his shot and it was easily gathered.

On the thirteenth minute mark, a powerful Knaphill shot was blocked by Town skipper Gary Smith on the edge of the box and with fifteen gone and Town were struggling to get out of their half. The pressure continued as Nahum Green broke through the home team's defence, but his decent cross was cut out by Dan Smith before it could find anyone in a red shirt. The away team then deservedly went ahead. A free kick on the left was headed goal wards, Smith saved the first effort but the rebound fell kindly to Jordan Pearce whose shot went in off the post.

Moments later it was nearly two nil. .A weak shot from eighteen yards looked likely to roll into Smith's hands but took a horrible bobble off the turf and hit him in the face. Up the other end a good bit of Town possession resulted in a Dom Allen shot being blocked. Smith was then once again called into action pulling off a fantastic save diving to his right to turn the ball round the post. Five minutes before the break Richard Shelley in the Knaphill goal was called into action for the first time, saving a shot in the bottom left corner from Seun Odusanya.

Town started the second period well, shading possession and creating the first chance when a powerful Jordan Goddard shot was well blocked. Centre back Timon Douglin then showed some nice composure on the ball dribbling up field before playing a through ball down the left wing; unfortunately Odusanya made his run too early and the linesman's flag went up.

Just before the hour mark Town went two down. A through ball found Connor Close who coolly slotted into the left corner. The goal was cruel on Town who had been the better team since the restart. Not letting their heads drop, Woodley continued to create chances. Adam Cashin-Murray won a free kick thirty yards out, Jason Awbery rolled the ball to the right and Cashin-Murray’s shot just missed to the right.

With seventy minutes gone Town made their first change when Matt Molloy replaced Odusanya. Knaphill striker David Johnston then showed a bit of trickery on the edge of the box before getting a shot away causing Smith to make his first save of the half diving to his right. A bad tackle on Goddard then resulted in a stoppage of play as the young winger received attention. The resulting free kick was whipped in by Awbery but headed over by Cashin-Murray.

Town's second change saw a shuffle in who played where and enabled Cashin-Murray to have a greater impact on the game as Town pushed forward. Awbery found space in the box but his shot was well saved and then a Carlton Cox shot from the right went into the side netting.

With the clock ticking down, Town made their final change with Sam Barham replacing Jordan Goddard. The visitors then nearly made it game over when Pearce squared for sub Jamie Daltry but a combination of Dan Smith and a Town defender prevented a third. Then with five minutes left the visitors rattled the bar which was the closest either team came to scoring as the game came to an end.

D. Smith, Gonzalez, G. Smith, Douglin, Groves (Alleyne), Cashin-Murray, Carlton Cox, Awbery, Goddard (Barham), Odusanya (Molloy), Allen Sub not used. Craig Cox, Stiff