FC Deportivo Galicia 3 (1) v Woodley United 1 (1)
Kicking off and playing into a strong win Woodley was rewarded for its positive start, taking the lead in the sixth minute against lowly FC Deportivo Galicia. Nico Commack played a low cross from the left into the hosts’ penalty area where Troy Williams played the ball to Ornildo Shehu who found the back of the net with a strike from the edge of the penalty area.
The opening quarter hour continued to see United in the ascendancy with goalkeeper Joe Hill rarely touching the ball. Harvey Collins shot directly at home custodian George Douglas, a three man move involving Collins, Commack and Willians saw the latter shoot wide while Commack saw another low cross into the goal area go wide of the far post.
Deportivo’s first opportunity of the game fell to Ayman Gouidazi, who was to become increasingly influential in the match, in seventeenth minute but the winger fired high over the crossbar. Galicia levelled four minutes later when United allowed the hosts to move the ball freely and without a challenge that saw Aitor Amdon pass to Aaron Petch in the penalty area who showed good skill to pass the ball into the Woodley net.
While United continued to enjoy plenty of possession, shots at goal continued to go wide with Collins and Clark squandering chances. Similarly the hosts were also guilty of missing the target, notably Adam Nejjazy, four minutes before half time.
Woodley started the second half strongly with Commack forcing Douglas to parry a cross that was subsequently cleared off the goal line, Clark forcing Duglas to save for a corner, Eden Downes heading a Collins corner over the cross bar and Williams heading straight at Douglas all within ten minutes of the restart after half time which was followed by claims for a penalty following a fold on substitute Lucas Tamplin being turned away by the referee.
Following a save by Hill, Deportivo took a short corner and allowed Petch to again demonstrate his skill in beating players before shooting inside Hill’s right hand post to give the hosts the lead in the sixty third minute.
United’s day went from bad to worse shortly afterwards when Downes was dismissed for a foul on Gouidazi five minutes later. As United searched for a leveller, Williams saw a blocked shot cleared to the halfway line where a cross over the United defence allowed Ned West a run at goal and score with seventy two minutes played.
Despite nine minutes of stoppage time United failed to threaten the home goal resulting a second defeat of the season.
Hill, Hok, Cammock, Hannachi (East), Maylen (Sofroniou), Downes, Clark, Leahy (Taplin), Williams, Collins (Weekes), Shehu (Barlow)