Honours even in the match of the Towns!

Fielding a much changed line up, Woodley welcomed back from long term injury both Jordan Goddard and Ben Gonzalez, the later producing a man of the match performance in midfield.

The hosts started the stronger and apart from a Victor Martinez Murillo shot going wider of their goal, the opening ten minutes was played in the visitors half with a header from a corner going wide in the second minute and Dan Smith saving for another corner in the tenth minute.

Henley’s bright start was rewarded a minute later when ex Woodley forward Louie Howell showed good skill to open the scoring.

By making greater use of the left flank and stretching the home team’s defence Woodley started to get into the game with first Doug Groves cross evading everyone at the back post and then Steven Campbell seeing his shot rebound back into play of the upright half way through the first half. Campbell headed over nine minutes later while Howell saw a goal disallowed before two goals in three minutes turned the game Woodley’s way.

Groves found himself unmarked to level from twelve yards and in the thirty fourth minute Martinez Murillo reacted quickest to score his first for the club when Andrew Nunn saved and parried well from Andres Rodriguez Gutirrez shot.

As the pitch became heavy the second half became an open affair with both teams having opportunities to score while numerous free kicks were being conceded by both sides. In the opening seven minutes Warren Baxter blocked a Campbell shot, Henley’s Richard Thomas headed over the bar and the dangerous Martinez Murillo shot wide.

The difference between the two sides was their ability at set pieces and it was Henley who proved more adept at this causing Woodley’s defence problems and scoring the equaliser on the hour mark when Asa Povey was allowed to head home unmarked. The same player nearly gave his team the lead two minutes later when he was again unmarked at a free kick only to head wide.

Although there were no more goals both teams had opportunities with Woodley clearing of their goal line while Groves and Campbell were well placed but failed to test Nunn. The impressive Goddard split the home defence in the eighty fifth minute to find Campbell but the forward curled his shot wide of the far post while Goddard force Nunn to save well, for a corner, from a free kick two minutes later.

The final chance came in the fifth minute of stoppage time when Brett Rann fired wide of Smith’s goal shortly before the match ended all square.

D. Smith, Downes (Malone), Goddard, Doe, G. Smith, Rodriguez Gutirrez, Martinez Murillo, Gonzalez, Campbell, Stevens (Barham), Groves (Maycock) Unused subs Hylton, Brookling