Nine man Town cruelly denied point

In only Wokingham's second home league game of the season, Town knew a win would take them within a point of their hosts.

The home side started well. A crossfield ball found Mark O' Connell on the right, a good touch would have seen him clear on goal but unable to control the ball it trickled out for a goal kick. Continuing to look the more dangerous of the two sides, Woodley centre back Stuart Doe showed good positional sense to head clear after the home side put together a nice move down the right.

The first chance of the game fell Wokingham's way. A Jack Gibbs' free kick on the right was headed wide by Will Day. Five minutes in and it was all Wokingham; Town keeper Dan Smith did well to cut out a Gibbs through ball. Woodley finally got a hold of the game when Doug Groves showed good pace to keep the ball in play on the left wing. Cutting inside he squared to Adam Cashin-Murray whose powerful shot was blocked by an orange shirt.

Just before the ten minute mark a lovely David Stevens' free kick into the box just missed a Town head before a Andres Rodriguez Gutirrez cross from the right was headed over by Woodley striker Steven Campbell. Town had now settled; a nice layoff by debutant Luke Farrugia teed up Cashin-Murray who missed to the right, then Campbell shot well over after a nice bit of Woodley possession.

Thirty three minutes in and Town took the lead. A free kick on the half way line found Stevens whose sublime left footed effort from outside of the box went in off the right post. The home side were having a lot of the ball, but not creating anything whereas Town continued to have half chances. Victor Martinez Murillo cut in from the right wing and fired off a shot that had all the pace taken off it when it hit a Wokingham defender and Sean Woodward in the home goal gathered comfortably.

HT Wokingham & Emmbrook 0-1 Woodley Town

The home side started the second period brightly. First Elliot Rushforth blazed over after a nice through ball, then the dangerous Gibbs crossed to Jake Butler who saw his shot charged down by Woodley captain Gary Smith. On the hour a Nick Bateman cross found an orange shirt at the back post but the effort missed to the left.

As the home side pressed forward for an equaliser, Stuart Doe was once again in the right place to head clear a dangerous free kick. From the resulting corner Butler shot straight at Smith when well placed. Up the other end, a Cashin-Murray effort was blocked, with the rebound looking likely to fall to Campbell it was nicked off his toe by a Wokingham defender just before he could shoot.

With twenty minutes to go a beautiful cross from Town left back Matt Molloy only just missed Martinez Murillo who jumped at the back post with two Wokingham defenders. Martinez Murillo then went into the book after he clashed with Gibbs. Farrugia also saw yellow after he exchanged words with a few Wokingham players. With fifteen minutes left Town made their first change. Lemar Maycock replaced Martinez Murillo.

The home side levelled the game three minutes later. A long ball over the top saw sub Julien Harley break the offside trap. One on one with Smith he coolly slotted the ball through the Woodley keeper's legs. Town then made their second change when Campbell made way for Jonathan Malone who made his first appearance in a Woodley shirt.

Five minutes to go and Smith got down well to save in the bottom left corner after a Rushforth shot. A minute later saw Town go down to nine men in ugly scenes. Molloy was shown a straight red after raising his hands; in the same incident Farrugia was shown a second yellow for saying too much. Despite their numerical disadvantage Town nearly retook the lead. A great ball in by Groves was cut out at the last second by George Dance with Maycock waiting to pounce.

With the game entering its final moments the home side took the lead. A cross from the right was nodded in by Butler from two yards out. Town's misery was compounded by stoppage time bookings to Rodriguez Gutirrez and Cashin-Murray. Despite the home team's possession they didn't create enough to warrant all three points.

FT Wokingham & Emmbrook 2-1 Woodley Town

Woodley Town
D. Smith, Rodriguez Gutirrez, Doe, G. Smith, Molloy, Martinez Murillo (Maycock), Stevens, Cashin-Murray, Groves, Farrugia, Campbell (Malone)
Unused sub - Barham