Town snatch win with odd goal in seven

After a very good pre season Woodley travelled for their opening league encounter to face Penn and Tylers Green who finished bottom of the table last season. Usually this time of year sees matches played in unbearable heat but some one forgot to order good weather with brollies, wellies and coats the order of the day with the game played in numerous torrential showers.

Both sides were clearly up for the game and it was fast and furious in the opening stages.

Tom Williams won a corner off Dean Munday in the third minute and with keeper John Harding flapping at the ball Nick Edwards saw a shot blocked allowing Penn to counter attack down the right wing through their man of the match Chris Hurst, who crossed the ball dangerously into the box but debutant Impey Cooke Chowdhary did well to smother the ball in the Woodley goal

Disaster struck for Penn two minutes later when Munday suffered a head injury resulting in him needing hospital treatment.

Town looked the more threatening and had the better of the chances with Jamie Fairchild putting Edwards through to force Harding into a smart save while Tom Williams found himself one-on-one but he steered his shot too close to the Penn and Tylers number one.

The home side were by no means under the cosh for the entire time and used the width well to attack the Woodley defence however, with Edwards becoming increasingly influential in midfield Town looked the more likely to break the deadlock as they applied increasing pressure.

Edwards found Dan Jewell on the right whose run and low cross evaded Harding and Fairchild for Tom Williams to score from close range on twenty five minutes. Luke Williams was denied by Harding three minutes later as his low shot was pushed away for a corner when one on one.

Town’s lead was short live when they lost the ball on their right flank allowing Penn to switch play to Oliver Woodall down his left wing and whip in a cross which Hurst headed passed Chowdhary.

Fairchild and Luke Williams still looked threatening as the home team played a very high line and Fairchild put Woodley back into the lead. The offside trap failed when Edwards found the striker who coolly lofted the ball over the advancing Harding to find the net with nine minutes to half time.

The second half started well for the visitors as they increased their lead with a terrific Luke Williams solo effort. Picking the ball up in his own half on the counter attack, the pacey forward broke and outstripped his man and scored at the near post on fifty four minutes. It looked as though it would be a comfortable win for last season’s fourth place side as they pushed forward with Jewell beating his marker and striking his shot well but the ball struck the post and rebounded to safety.

However, Penn and Tyler got a foothold in the game with an unstoppable twenty five yard screamer from Ricci Putnam with twenty five minutes remaining. Again Jewell had the opportunity to score but Harding smothered the weak shot before a miscued clearance by Jim Nightingale, allowed Woodall to once again cross to Hurst to score a well-taken goal and level the match.

There were twenty minutes to play and the game was anyone’s at this stage as the driving rain made it tough conditions for all of the players. Sam Cripps came on to replace Ryan Witt and Woodley gathered themselves for a final push for a winning goal. The legs of the Harding denied Luke Williams and Cripps almost converted a scramble in the six yard box.

It was the two Williams players who combined to find the winner for Woodley. Luke once again bore down on Harding’s goal and Town’s man of the match Tom, supported to convert Luke’s square pass to win a thrilling game with five minutes remaining.

Cooke - Chowdhary, Baxter, Nunn, Edwards, Nightingale, Witt (Cripps), Jewell, Hiscock, Fairchild (Varndell), L Williams, T Williams (Waring) Sub not used: Thomas

Attendance: 43