Fairford Town take the points

On a bitterly cold afternoon, United came up short against fellow league strugglers in a match settled by Fairford’s captain and best player on the day, Lee Smith, midway through the second half.

The visitors started the more lively and three times the in opening fifteen minutes Smith was involved in the action that saw Alex Reed block and effort, Smith shoot over the cross bar and a cross from him cleared by Iddy Kamara.

United’s sole chance in this period saw Callum Samuel-Harman blaze a shot over the bar from close range following an Ashley Ledger free kick into the visitor’s penalty area.

The second fifteen minute spell saw United in the ascendancy with Samuel-Harman and Jaydyn Englefield dangerous attacking on the flanks but the closest Woodley came to scoring was to see Samuel-Harman narrowly fail to connect with an Englefield cross. the ball scrambled clear for a corner following another United free kick and the lively Danny Horscroft doing well to connect with another Englefield cross but putting the ball over the cross bar.

Reed was called upon to save from Dan Bailey four minutes before half time while in stoppage time Fairford’s keeper Ben Mitchell dived full length to push Kamara’s low drive around the post.

The returning to Woodley Adam Nditi was an early second half substitute and his pass to Toby Briggs on the left wing allowed Briggs in turn to pass to Horscroft with the latter’s shot going wide on fifty eight minutes.

The visitors responded strongly with United conceding a number of free kicks and corners but in turn successfully defending the danger until the sixty seventh minute when Smith received a cross from the right unmarked before taking a touch to drive it pass Reed.

United changed to a 3-5-2 formation with Owen Davies replacing Sam Guze in midfield and while this resulted in good United possession and minimum threat of a second Fairford goal, the visitors were resolute in keeping a clean sheet and taking maximum points.

Reed, Barley, Hagger (A Kamara), Guze (Davies), I Kamara, Cooper, Englefield, Ledger, Briggs, Horscroft, Samuel – Harman (Nditi Sub not used: Goddard