Easy 3 points for Town

Woodley faced Penn and Tylers Green at home and were looking to retain third position with a win against the side laying bottom in the table. Penn, who had only lost three of their last nine matches came with an organised side and made Woodley work hard to gain any headway in the game.

The opening period was dominated by the midfield with few chances being created. However, the best fell to Town’s Jamie Fairchild on fifteen minutes but his control, turn and shot came to nothing.

Luke Williams was enjoying space on the left flank but was frustrated when the ball was cut back to him and he miscued his shot.

Woodley did take the lead though through Dan Jewell on twenty five minutes. Chris Hatton bustled his way into the penalty area and the ball broke for Jewell to score from five yards.

The lead should have been increased two minutes later as Woodley broke away quickly through Fairchild who found Carl Davies who in turn saw his lob cleared of the goal line by an outstretched defender.

With the game starting to open up Oneal Garnes was required to save at point blank range from Green’s Ricci Putnam on thirty five minutes while at the other end Luke Williams picked out Nick Edwards at the far post but with the goal at his mercy the midfielder some how missed the target.

Sensing that Woodley were unable to put the game beyond them, Penn & Tylers continued to rally and enjoyed the best of the final ten minutes of the half. Garnes and Andrew Nunn combined to block and effort while Garnes comfortably saved Andy Savage’s free kick.

After a fairly even first half, Woodley took control of the game in the second forty five minutes with Carl Davies coming into the game and causing problems for Penn in the final third. Craig Hiscock had a free header tipped over by the Penn goalkeeper John Harding and Fairchild had a shot go just wide from a good position. Davies then made it two – nil on sixty five minutes as he held off a defender who had his arm all over Davies to beat Harding to continue his recent purple patch.

Woodley had other near misses by Sam Cripps and Davies again but a harsh penalty awarded to Penn and Tylers, for a Warren Baxter handball as he slid in to make a tackle, meant with fifteen minutes remaining the away side had a route back into the game. However, Chris Hurst hit the post and Woodley did not really get threatened again and next travel to Premier Division high flyers Witney United on Tuesday evening in a second round Bluefin Insurance Brokers Challenge Cup tie.

Garnes, Baxter, Nunn, Edwards, Nightingale, Hiscock (Thomas), Jewell (Watkins), Hatton (Cripps), Fairchild, Davies, L Williams