Narrow win

Town were made to work hard for the three points against a team that belied their lowly league position and in Adam Hickey and Hamish Harris had two players who where lively and dangerous throughout the game.

Eton started the stronger and it was against the run of play that Woodley opened the scoring on seven minutes. Chris Hatton’s long throw into the penalty area was flicked onto a defenders chest by Craig Hiscock allowing Carl Davies to react first to shot home from close range.

The set back did not deter Eton who continued to press and looked the more likely to score as Craig Beales was called upon on to smother a Hickey effort before Hickey broke free of the defence and put another shot wide of the far post while Jim Nightingale was required to clear a loose ball that Beales had done well to parry from another Hickey drive.

Town’s best efforts were from distance and involved Hatton shooting wide following good play from Andrew Nunn and forcing a corner from a Hiscock pass while Luke Williams mazy run was blocked by a defender as the forward was preparing to shoot.

The half ended with Matt Belcher conceding a free kick, that Paul Roake crossed into the Town penalty area for Nightingale to head clear only for Harris to drive the returning shot wide.

The second half started as the first finished with Eton in the ascendancy and twice Hickey was involved in dangerous plays, one being when a poor Beales clearance fell to the forward who with an open net saw his shot deflected by a retreating Town defender.

With only the one substitute who was used in the first half, Eton started to tire in the heat allowing Davies and Luke Williams to have a greater influence on the game. Substitute Tom Williams was put through by Luke Williams only to be tackled by the advancing Eton ‘keeper Mark Banfry outside his penalty area while Tom Williams and fellow substitute Sam Cripps shared a one – two with Cripps firing wide of Banfry’s left post.

Still searching for a point Eton mustered one last attack that resulted in a free kick on the edge of Town’s penalty area which fell to Hickey who was unable to cause any damage due to close marking and the referee bringing an end to the match.

This result leaves Town in fourth place with leaders Thame Utd visiting on Thursday in search of the points that will give them the League title.

Beales, Baxter, Nunn, Hiscock, Nightingale, Thomas, Hatton (Varndell), Fairchild, L Williams, Davies (Cripps), Belcher (T Williams)