Superb second half showing sees Woodley pick up all three points

Woodley kept alive their hopes of finishing outside the bottom three with a deserved victory against Royal Wootton Bassett on Thursday evening. Creating numerous chances in the opening forty five minutes United somehow finished the half two goals down. However second half goals from Toby Bridges, Danny Horscroft and a late winner from captain Idris Kamara means it's still all to play for in the final game against Longlevens on Saturday.

Falling behind due to a fine strike by Bassett's Matt Jones who volleyed into the top left corner from the right side of the box on three minutes could have seen United head's drop early. The reverse happened as Woodley battered the visitors goal for the next half an hour.

The first of many United chances came courtesy of a Horscroft free kick that went into the wall after a foul on Sam Guze just outside the box. The rebound fell to Jake Nicholls who showed good technique to volley a dropping ball goalwards forcing Alex Bowers to save.

This was followed up with a curling effort from Nicholls narrowly going over Bowers' cross bar before an excellent spell of Woodley possession ended with Horscroft picking out Guze who had his low shot destined for the left corner well saved by Bowers. The following corner was cleared to Carl Prestidge whose volley just missed to the left.

After soaking up a lot of pressure where the visitors were pinned down in their own half, Josh Coombe had a shot from the left kept out by Alex Reed in the home goal.

United were really moving the ball around well with full backs Luke Turner and Prestidge playing mainly in the Bassett half. Another nice move ended with Teddy Thomas' shot from just inside the box inadvertently hitting Horscroft. You get no luck at the bottom as the attempt looked like it would have beaten Bowers!

The home side were punished ten minutes before the break when Dale Richards hooked over Reed and rolled into an empty net.

Guze had the final two chances of the half. His first effort was blocked practically on the goal-line whilst his second shot also hit a Bassett defender.

HT Woodley United 0-2 Royal Wootton Bassett

Woodley made a change at the break when Toby Bridges replaced Abdul Kamara in central midfield.

It took only six minutes for Bridges to make an impact when he pulled one back for the hosts with a goal of the season candidate. His fine strike from a good twenty five yards gave Bowers no chance as it flew into the top right corner.

This was followed up with an ambitious free kick from Bridges being comfortable for Bowers whilst two Prestidge shots from outside of the box missed to the right.

Just after the hour Reed pulled off a great save to tip over a Richards free kick. The following corner saw United counter at speed; working the ball to Toby Briggs, he was denied by a fantastic George Lance tackle.

The scores were level on sixty six minutes when Horscroft smashed home from the left side of the box after receiving a pass from the excellent Joe Barley.

Minutes after the equaliser saw a good run from Thomas who had cut in from the right wing. The Woodley man fired in a low cross that Bowers bravely palmed out before Guze could tap in from six yards.

Looking for a vital third goal United came agonisingly close to going ahead when Horscroft lofted over Bowers only to see the ball bounce up and hit the cross bar!

Briggs then saw his shot from the right just miss to the left before Dave Morgan came on for Guze on seventy six minutes.

With five minutes to go and with Woodley throwing men forward Barley did brilliantly to block a Ben Lodge shot after a suspected foul on Reed wasn't given.

Barley's block was absolutely crucial as a minute later a free kick by Nicholls fell to Kamara who got his first goal for the club when he found the left corner from the right sparking great relief all round.

This set up a nervous finale as Bassett looked to salvage something from the game. As we entered time added on a ball over the top found substitute Logan Cassidy. With Reed advancing, Cassidy made good contact only to see his attempt blocked behind for a corner.

FT Woodley United 3-2 Royal Wootton Bassett