Will the real Woodley Town stand up!

This was the proverbial game of two halves and two differing performances as Town recovered from a three goal deficit to take a point with a stoppage time equaliser.

The visitors got off to the perfect start when Denis Nortey broke through the Town defence and fired his shot past Dan Smith into the bottom right corner with only two minutes gone. The away team were the more lively in the early stages, dominating possession and forcing Town to try their luck from distance. Adam Cashin-Murray missed to the left from thitty yards out just before the ten minute mark.

Lane went two up minutes later when Woodley captain Gary Smith under hit his back pass and Jamel Matten nipped in to get to the ball before Town’s Dan Smith. Matten rounded the keeper before squaring to Nortey for his second. This forced changes in the Woodley team. Timon Douglin was moved from left back to centre back, Mikey Alleyne went into the middle of the park and Jason Awbery slotted in at left back. With twenty minutes on the clock, Smith saved well at his near post from the impressive Chris McConnell.

The away team continued to press and nearly made it three when Dee Williams was left free in the box but his header missed after a cross from the right. Another long range effort from Woodley, this time by Carlton Cox missed to the left. Three minutes before the break and Woodley went three down. Dan Smith came out for a cross but the ball fell to Ivan Petrov who showed great composure to loft the ball over two Town defenders into an empty net. A miserable half for the home team ended when striker Dom Allen was booked for dissent.

Knowing that an early goal would get the visitors nervous, Town started the second half well. Alleyne had an effort miss to the left, then his cross was cut out at the back post with Lemar Maycock waiting dangerously However, ten minutes into the half Town got back into the game when a long ball over the top saw Maycock in one on one and he took his chance well, slotting home and two minutes later Cashin-Murray was put in on the left and although his initial shot was saved well he smashed the rebound into the roof of the net.

With an hour gone Jordan Goddard replaced Maycock and with twenty five minutes to go Town made their final change when Seun Odusanya came on for Sam Barham. Smith made another save this time from Rayners sub Charnpal Flora, before Alleyne and Cashin-Murray were booked. With ten minutes remaining, a well worked Lane corner saw McConnell with space in the box, his powerful shot was saved at the near post. Town then had a half chance to level things when a deep free kick was cleared to Cash on the edge of the box but a difficult chance was sliced wide.

With time ticking down, Flora had a one on one with Smith but the chance was well saved. With the game well into stoppage time, sub Odusanya was sent through by a perfect Awbery through ball, showing fantastic pace the striker finished coolly to cap off a great come back.

Manager Damien Marshall gave Cashin-Murray Man of the Match and also praised the impact of Seun Odusanya. He also added “Given the circumstances surrounding the 1st half, a point is a positive. However we really need to address the fact a game is 90 minutes and to work as a team throughout”.

Smith, Gonzalez, Douglin, Alleyne, Smith (Groves), Awbery, Cox, Cashin-Murray, Barham (Odusanya), Allen, Maycock (Goddard)