Town start season with a win

Woodley Town kicked off their season away at Penn & Tylers Green. The game didn't disappoint as Town edged a seven goal thriller.

The first shot on target came from Woodley's Steven Campbell whose shot from a tight angle on the right was straight at James Jackson in the Penn goal. Three minutes in, the home side's Chris Hurst had a decent run but sliced wide to the right. Town defender Stuart Doe was then called into action, coolly heading back to the keeper Dan Smith following a dangerous lofted through ball.

A miss hit shot from Adam Cashin-Murray found its way to Campbell and the striker instinctively put the ball into the roof of the net to open the scoring on ten minutes. Penn had so far had a lot of the ball but had not created much. In the 18th minute another chance went Woodley's way, this time Cashin-Murray put Dominic Allen in, but the tall striker shot weakly at Jackson. Moments later saw the best move of the match so far. Penn left back Josh Fox was put in down the left, his cross found a Penn foot, but the shot was wasted as the ball flew over.

This was followed by Woodley mix up at the back which nearly cost them dear when a Penn striker went one on one with Dan Smith in the Woodley net, but the keeper was off his line fast and saved fantastically. In the 25th minute Town had a great chance to double the lead when Allen was fouled just inside the penalty area. The usually reliable Michael Alleyne stepped up but dragged his penalty wide of the left post. Smith then pulled off another fantastic save diving to his right.

The equaliser did arrive just before the half an hour mark. A nice cross field ball found Fox on the left and his cross was headed into the net by Hurst giving Smith no chance. Smith was called into action moments later as he got down well to his left to push a free kick round the post. Ten minutes before the break and Penn should have taken the lead. The dangerous Fox used his pace to get down the left flank and a good ball in was well met by the Penn forward but somehow Smith managed to save and it went out for a corner.

The final chance of the half went Woodley's way as Allen again shot tamely at the Penn keeper.

The game saw its third goal within a minute of the restart. Debutant Cashin-Murray put Woodley 2-1 up with a toe poke within the six yard goal from a Jordan Goddard cross. Two minutes later and it could have been three, Alleyne nearly made up for his penalty miss with a header, but it cannoned back off the bar. Just before the hour mark, Woodley made two changes with Alleyne and Allen making way for Sam Barham and Lemar Maycock. On the 65th minute Maycock showed good strength and pace to shrug off the defender but his powerful shot was well saved.

Woodley didn't have to wait long for a third though. Good play by Barham and midfielder Carlton Cox on the left saw Campbell get his second and Woodley's third from close range. Minutes later it was four and a hat trick for Campbell. A ball over the top saw the striker in on goal and his left foot shot found the far corner. With ten minutes left, a few Penn players seemed to lose their discipline and the game got a bit niggly with two cautions for the home side and one for the visitors.

Heading into stoppage time of six minutes, Penn pulled one back when sub Nial O’Meally-Newell slotted home after a through ball by fellow sub Josh Briant. Three minutes into stoppage time a third Penn goal insured a nervous final few minutes for Woodley but they hung on for a deserved three points.

Manager Damien Marshall had the following to say "I thought we dominated large periods of the game and showed killer instinct when desired. We have to learn that games are 90 minutes long and not to switch off. Glad to get three points on the board".

Smith, Doe, Douglin (Weston), Titcomb, Alleyne (Barham), Cox, Gonzalez, Cashin-Murray, Campbell, Allen (Maycock), Goddard Sub not used Stiff