Penalty woes for Woodley

United exited the Bluefin Sport Hellenic Challenge Cup on penalties against Hellenic Division One West side Shrivenham despite being the better team for large periods of the game.

The visitors went ahead inside the first minute when a long range shot by Levi Cox beat debutant Spencer Meredith and found the right corner.

Looking for a response Woodley forward Charlie Oakley saw his cross from the left cut out by a defender with Abdul Kamara well placed in the box. Greg Beckett then had a shot blocked for the hosts.

Despite United bossing possession, chances were few and far between. It took till the thirty second minute for them to register a shot on target and when they did Josh Drew equalised when he smashed in from fifteen yards after Kamara had seen his shot blocked.

The final chance of a half where neither side really created much fell to Woodley's Danny Horscroft; cutting in from the right his low shot was saved by Jack Gibson.

HT Woodley United 1-1 Shrivenham

Shrivenham had the first chance after the break. A left wing cross was headed clear to Steve Kier who struck his shot well from outside the box forcing Meredith to save in the left corner.

At the other end a nice move by United, playing the ball out from the back, saw a Beckett effort deflect off a defender and roll wide. The resultant corner found Woodley captain Idris Kamara who saw his shot blocked.

Just before the hour Dave Morgan came on for Abdul Kamara.

More United pressure followed. Horscroft shot over from a free kick before Oakley missed from the left side of the box. Morgan then saw his shot from distance miss to the left whilst Horscroft found the side netting from a tight angle.

The game ended with more Woodley chances; neither of which tested Gibson. Oakley lofted a difficult chance over the bar after getting on the end of a Beckett through ball before Joe Barley missed from distance.

FT Woodley United 1-1 Shrivenham

Extra time started with Cox firing a tame shot at Meredith from a similar distance to his goal.

Horscroft then saw his shot blocked on the line after an indirect free kick was rolled to him.

That was it for chances in extra time. So we went to penalties.

AET Woodley United 1-1 Shrivenham

Shrivenham scored their first two whilst Oakley had his saved and Beckett blazed over. Shrivenham sub Rob Lincoln made it three out of three before Barley scored and Cox missing gave Woodley a lifeline. Unfortunately Jake Nicholls, who had been excellent over the hundred and twenty minutes had his penalty saved by Gibson and the visitors advanced.