Mad Stad dream still alive!

Town gave debuts to striker George Dallarada and defender Adam Bygrave. The latter was deployed just in front of the back four for Saturday's Reading Challenge Invitation Senior Cup 2nd round match at Finchampstead.

Woodley started strongly, playing at a high tempo and moving the ball around well. Three minutes in and it was Town that created the game's first chance. Doug Groves' cross from the left found Dallarada who saw his shot tipped over by Neil Griffith in the home goal. Moments later Griffith was once again tested, this time from a long range David Stevens effort.

The first ten minutes was almost entirely played in the Finchampstead half. Finally getting into the game, the home side were able to muster a couple of half chances when Greg Alexander whipped in a dangerous cross that Town cleared, before a dangerous Sam Price delivery from the right was dealt with by Andres Rodriguez at the back post.

The Finchampstead pressure was temporary and Woodley continued to look the more dangerous of the two sides. Dallarada curled one wide from twenty yards before Town deservedly went ahead nineteen minutes in. A quickly taken free kick found Jonathan Malone on the right wing who saw his cross turned behind for a corner. The resulting set piece was only scrambled clear to Malone whose inch-perfect cross found Adam Cashin-Murray who placed his header over Griffith into the far left corner.

Town skipper Gary Smith then showed good positional sense to intercept a Nick Payne pass that would have seen Alexander in on goal. The match was now very much end to end; a Malone pass to Dallarada saw the latter show good strength and pace to power away from his marker and drive towards Griffith. The Town forward went round the keeper but his touch was slightly heavy and the ball went behind for a goal kick.

Just before the thirty minute mark and the game was all square. Ryan Tye was put through on the right, he shrugged off several challenges before firing a low shot into the bottom left corner that beat Dan Smith despite the Woodley stopper getting a hand to it.

The goal reinvigorated the home side who bossed the next five minutes creating several golden chances. First a header at the near post flashed across the Town six yard box, then a cross from the left found Tye unmarked six yards out; with the whole of the goal to shoot at he shot straight at Smith who stood up to the chance well and parried clear.

Woodley were forced into an early change thirteen minutes before the break when left back Matt Molloy departed due to a knee injury. He was replaced by Jordan Goddard. Finchampstead then had another great chance to take the lead when Luke Ayton-Hall should have tested Smith after winning a header following a James Pople corner.

The home side's short spell of pressure was then punished when Town retook the lead. David Stevens free kick from the right hand side of the box went in off the post with Adam Cashin-Murray claiming he got the final touch. We'll probably never know whose goal it was but it gave Town a lead that they never looked like surrendering.

Woodley were not content sitting on their lead and carried on carving out chances. A cushioned Stevens headed pass to Malone saw the latter shoot over whilst being fouled in the process. Stevens took the free kick and saw his effort bounce off the left post. The rebound fell to Groves whose well hit effort was saved well at the near post by Griffith.

The final chance of an entertaining half went Woodley's way. Town centre back Stuart Doe's cross was headed straight at Griffith by Bygrave. Five minutes after the equaliser aside, it was definitely Woodley's half.

HT Finchampstead 1-2 Woodley Town

Woodley started the second half meaning business. A Stevens pass was picked up by Dallarada who saw his effort from the right side of the box saved by Griffith. It was the Town debutant Dallarada who was instrumental in giving Town a two goal lead. His hold up play enabled Malone to burst through on the right before being bundled over just inside the home side's box. Dallarada stepped up to take the penalty and saw his right footed shot to the top right corner give Griffith no chance. Town's first penalty goal of the season at the fourth attempt!

Fifty seven minutes in and Finchampstead pulled one back when a long ball from the back found Alexander; he took his chance well, lofting the ball over Smith into an empty net. Town didn't let the goal get to them and continued to look dangerous whenever they went forward. Sam Green had to be alert to head clear a Malone cross with Groves waiting to pounce at the back post.

At the other end, Goddard did well to gain possession before winning a free kick. Alexander was then denied a hat-trick by Smith who turned behind the shot diving to his left. A nice move by Town on the right involving Dallarada and Malone, who was having a fantastic game, ended with Ayton-Hall blocking a Cashin-Murray shot.

With two-thirds of the game gone, a Dallarada free kick from twenty yards went over. Five minutes later, Town made their second change when Rodriguez was replaced by Tafari Downes. This saw Malone drop into defence and Downes play on the right wing. Town continued to pepper the Finchampstead goal. Cashin-Murray saw his effort from twenty yards gathered by Griffith. With fifteen minutes to go, the home side were reduced to ten men when captain Luke Ayton-Hall was shown a red after picking up his second caution.

The numbers advantage only increased Town's dominance. A David Stevens corner was won at the back post by Groves who did everything right heading the ball down but unfortunately the ball bounced over. Then Griffith was once again called into action saving with his legs to stop Downes.

Town were then denied by the woodwork for the second time when a combination of crossbar and Griffith prevented Stevens getting his second. The corner that followed found Groves whose effort from eighteen yards was blocked, with Town players claiming it had hit a hand.

The game ended with Woodley twice shooting into the side netting. First Cashin-Murray saw his effort just miss from the right, then Dallarada came within inches of getting Town's fourth and his second with a shot from the left side of the box. Moments later the ref blew for full time and Town deservedly picked up their first win of 2015.

Manager Damien Marshall said the following 'From a game perspective I'm very happy to get into the quarter finals. The balance of the side was good today and we created a host of chances. To get our first win of the year was a positive, but our performances over the last couple of weeks have warranted more and today we got our just rewards. Our two new signings settled in well and had a big impact on the game. My Man of the Match though goes to Jonathan Malone who put in a superb performance'.

Woodley Town
D Smith, Rodriguez (Downes), Molloy (Goddard), G. Smith, Doe, Bygrave, Stevens, Cashin-Murray, Malone, Dallarada, Groves

Unused Sub
Alleyne