Points shared at Didcot

The game started in bright sunshine and with strong winds; the blustery conditions would prove a deciding factor in how the game played out.

The first chance of the game went Didcot's way when a through ball found captain Arran Gray; he could only get his toe to the ball and was not able to generate any power and Woodley keeper Dan Smith was able to easily gather.

Town's first shot fell to striker Steven Campbell; picking up a George Dallarda pass his shot flashed wide of the post. Woodley were starting to get a foothold on the game and when right back Jon Malone's hooked effort from outside the box got caught in the wind a combination of crossbar and goalie Mitch Barton saw the ball go behind for a corner.

Just before the ten minute mark Woodley had a great chance to go ahead. Dallarda, who had started well on the right wing, played in Michael Alleyne; showing a burst of pace, Alleyne broke free and getting to the ball first struck his shot well only to see Barton make the save. The rebound fell to Campbell who blazed over with the goal at his mercy.

Minutes later Town skipper Gary Smith blocked a Ross MacDonald shot from twenty yards after the latter broke free. Mid way through the first half Woodley were forced into an early change when Stuart Doe departed due to a head injury; he was replaced by Simon Kemp.

Town were by this point well on top, making use of having the wind behind them. After Max Brown was fouled fifteen yards inside the Didcot half, a whipped in David Stevens free kick somehow evaded everyone in a pale blue shirt. Then a Dallarda shot from the right side of the box just missed to the left.

Twelve minutes before the break Town left back Jordan Goddard did brilliantly to dispossess Kris Gray on the half way line. With no pass on he drove forward before firing a shot from twenty five yards that only just missed the top left corner. The hefty challenge by Goddard on Gray angered the Didcot player who then clashed with Town midfielder Adam Bygrave as they were both preparing for a free kick by the home side; a coming together that saw both players booked.

Woodley then deservedly went ahead with ten minutes to play. Cutting in from the right, Dallarda fired a low shot at goal that went through Barton and into the net. Before the hosts could kick off, Town made another change when Bygrave hobbled off and was replaced by Ben Gonzalez.

Didcot were massively on the backfoot; when they did get out of their half they were forced into long range efforts. A Tom Hoskin effort from thirty yards didn't trouble Smith. The final chance of the half went Woodley's way; a quickly taken free kick found Goddard on the left wing, his cross found Campbell who shot over.

HT Didcot Town 0-1 Woodley Town

Five minutes into the second half and Woodley had a golden chance to double their lead when Campblell picked up an Alleyne pass. Twelve yards out, his effort was well saved by Barton diving to his right. At the other end, Gary Smith cleared off the line following a Didcot corner as the hosts started to make use of the wind.

Picking up the ball in the middle of the park, Didcot's Taylor Janes drove into Woodley territory before feeding the ball out to the wing. Luckily for Town the cross was too close to Smith and he was able to catch comfortably.

Janes then tried his luck himself after Kemp lost possession just outside the Town box but saw his effort miss to the right. The home side continued to press forward; a deep free kick by Lewis Noble found Arran Gray who could only shoot straight at Smith from eighteen yards. Just past the hour mark the game was all square when Kris Gray smashed his shot into the top left corner from just inside the Town box.

The hosts were now bossing the game. Hoskin shrugged off a Gary Smith challenge before firing an effort low that Dan Smith was able to save with his feet. With twenty five minutes to go, Town made their final change when Campbell made way for Seun Odusanya. Didcot continued to look dangerous; especially at set pieces with the strong wind playing havoc. Another deep Noble free kick found Kieran Collins who couldn't get much contact on the ball and it missed to the right.

When Town could get forward, Dallarda always looked threatening. Picking up a pass from Gonzalez he burst through one on one with Barton only to see his curling effort just miss to the right. The Woodley pressure didn't last long. Kemp was at full stretch to clear a dangerous cross from the left before good linkup play between Janes and MacDonald saw the former's shot just miss to the right.

With the game entering its final fifteen minutes, Didcot should have gone ahead when substitute Sam McDermaid saw his shot blocked by Smith from six yards out. At the other end, a good Max Brown run down the left ended with a cross that neither Odusanya or David Stevens could get on the end of.

Didcot carried on looking for a winner that their second half dominance warranted. Dan Smith had to be alert and was off his line quickly to gather before Arran Gray could get on the end of a long ball from Noble. With the game entering its final minutes, Town nearly gifted Didcot victory when they gave the ball away from a goal kick. Kris Gray unselfishly set up his namesake Arran who saw his shot narrowly miss to the right.

The final chance of the game went Woodley's way; a long ball over the top found Odusanya but the ball got caught in the wind and wouldn't drop for the Town striker and he scuffed his shot wide of the left post. The goal would have been very harsh on the hosts who made the most of the second half conditions and were well on top after the break.

FT Didcot Town 1-1 Woodley Town

Manager Damien Marshall had this to say after the game 'I have mixed feelings about today's result. Having had the lead and looking fairly comfortable in the first half I could only see one winner. So to come away with only a point I'm slightly disappointed. However this is a game we could have lost a few weeks ago as we were put under a lot of pressure kicking into a strong wind in the second half. I thought both Jordan Goddard and George Dallarda were both superb today with the former getting my man of the match'.

Woodley Town
D. Smith, Malone, Goddard, G. Smith, Doe (Kemp), Alleyne, Stevens, Bygrave (Gonzalez), Brown, Dallarda, Campbell (Odusanya)