Defeat for Town

Woodley travelled down the M4 to North Berks League leaders Faringdon Town for a Berks and Bucks Intermediate Cup second round clash and started the stronger and enjoyed the better of the first half with Luke Williams and Tom Williams causing the Faringdon defence problems down both flanks.

Carl Davies crossed for Tom Williams, who headed against the post before Paul Wilder opened the scoring on twelve minutes converting a precise header into the corner from another Davies cross.

Woodley thought they had doubled their advantage as Luke Williams’ cross clipped the underside of the bar and Tom Williams headed home on the goal line, but the home linesman claimed the ball had gone out of play in the air.

Wilder then had the ball in the net again after Tom Williams had curled his shot onto the cross bar and Wilder’s headed lob found the net, but he was dubiously adjudged to be offside.

Farringdon’s only chance of the half came when the ball was spilt by keeper Ben Rose, and Dan Jewell had to clear from the goal line with ease. Tom Williams had a great chance to score at the far post, but his effort was smothered by Chris Webb in the home goal who also pushed a Jewell shot wide for a corner further denied Wilder with a good save from another header, but it was a slender advantage at the break.

Farringdon came out brightly in the second half and applied pressure to Woodley throughout the half as the away side struggled to reach their form of the first half.

Farringdon equalised in a fortunate manner as Rose came out of his box to clear, the ball struck the advancing Daniel Courtney on seventy five minutes and went in.

Woodley were under pressure with the home team now buoyed by the equaliser but created little. Davies had a good chance, which the keeper saved, and the game went to extra time.

Woodley did not improve in extra time and went behind to a well-taken goal by Farringdon substitute Richard Evans after poor defending let him curl a shot inside Rose’s left post on one hundred minutes.

Despite playing most of the second period of extra time in the Faringdon half, Craig Hiscock had the only remaining chance for Woodley, but under heavy pressure the Webb blocked his effort.

Woodley were disappointed with the performance and felt they should have seen the game over at half time with the chances and ‘goals’ they had.

Rose, Jewell (Varndell), Thomas, Edwards, Nightingale, Baxter, T Williams (Bennett), Hiscock, Wilder (Cripps), Davies, L Williams