Wembley 1 (1) Woodley United 1 (0)
Following two successive Saturday postponements, United played its first game of 2026 against an in form Wembley, who had won their previous three games and scoring nine goals in the victories.
Despite the rain of the previous week, Wembley produced a good pitch on a sunny afternoon. Woodley’s opening chance came in the third minute when a Wembley corner was cleared to Kaylum Barlow on the left field whose cross field pass found Jude Van Spall who ran at goal only to fire over the host’s cross bar. Four minutes later the dangerous Dylan Clark played a free kick into the Wembley penalty area that was cleared for safety.
The same played, following a pass from Van Spall, crossed in the penalty area in the twenty seventh minute to Troy Williams where claims for a foul on the forward were turned away by the referee. This was followed two minutes later by Clark seeing a shot blocked for a corner in what was a positive opening half hour for Woodley.
This changed following an injury to Harvey Collins forcing him to be substituted and Wembley opening the scoring in the thirty sixth minute when a cross from the Wembley right hand side allowed Freddie Stoner-Redfern to shot from twelve yards inside Joe Hills right hand post.
Sam Langan forced Hill to save for a corner with two minutes of the half remaining. From the corner New Jones put the ball into the Woodley net only for the goal to be disallowed. Two minutes into stoppage time Clark has a cross cleared to Archie Simpson who shot over the Wembley cross bar.
With Hill unable to start the second half due to illness, Kian Leahy took over in goal which was followed ten minutes later with Ziad Hannachi, (Collins’ substitute) being replaced due to injury by Kris Naicker who quickly found himself in the sin bin. Woodley weathered the ten men period well and once back to full numbers started to press Wembley back onto the defensive with the returning Connor Suckling instrumental in much of the forward play. Reece Weekes put a free kick wide of the goal while home keeper Michael Power-Simpson gathered a low cross from Suckling, in his goal area with four minutes of normal time remaining.
Leahy was called upon to make a save as the game entered stoppage time and set up a grand stand finish for Woodley and last ditch defending by Wembley resulting in them conceding free kicks close to the penalty area. Clark sent a free kick over the cross bar which was followed in the sixth minute of stoppage time with him being fouled and Wembley’ Lewis Morgan dismissed for the challenge. Clark took the resulting free kick putting the ball pass Power-Simpson to share the points.
Hill (Leahy), Cammock, Simpson, Maylen, Hok, Clark, Collins (Hannachi) (Naicker), Williams, Barlow (Weekes). Van Spall (Suckling)