For the first time in its history, Woodley United kicked off the new season with a July fixture which also happened to be against first time opponents Wembley, who had been relegated from the Premier division at the end of last season by virtue of finishing bottom.
In front of a decent size crowd, it was the Lions who kicked off but found themselves under immediate pressure from the hosts and had keeper Micheal Power-Simpson to thank for getting the better of debutant Troy Williams in a one on one situation three minutes into the half, following George Day’s pass splitting the Lion’s defence. Two minutes later Day’s throw into the Wembley penalty area was eventually headed onto the roof of the next by a visiting defender. From the resulting corner the ball fell to Kian Leahy who shot into the side netting.
Against the run of play Wembley stunned their hosts in the eight minute. From a throw in the ball was worked into Woodley’s penalty area and from a low cross debutant Richard Acheampong prodded the ball into the roof of the net from six yards.
The goal inspired Wembley who used their hight and build to good effect and looked to get the ball forward quickly at every opportunity and they nearly doubled the lead three minutes later only for home captain Kieran Maylen to clear the ball off the United goal line.
The half became littered with free kicks that prevented either team from finding a rhythm. It was from a Dylan Clark free kick, in the thirty second minute, played from the left hand side into the penalty area that saw the ball headed downwards where Eden Downes slipped in to beat a defender and steer the ball past Power-Simpson to level the scores.
The goal settled Woodley but it was not until the start of the second half that they found their stride which saw a three player move starting with Nico Cammock passing to Williams who in turn laid the ball to man of the match Harvey Collins to force Power-Simpson to save to his left only for the ball to fall to Alfie Webb to shot across the goal into the far side netting in the fifty third minute.
United kept the pressure on winning several corners in quick succession and showing good delivery into the penalty area from set pieces. The seventieth minute saw a Wembley head the ball off the goal line followed by Collins shooting wide.
The eighty third minute saw United survive a heart stopping moment when goalkeeper Joe Hill slipped as he went to pass the ball, which was successfully cleared.
Eight minutes of nervous stoppage time was played with saw Wembley shoot wide and put a free kick onto the roof of Hill’s next, but with United defending resolutely as a team the final whistle resulted in the first opening day win for the team in three seasons.
Hill, Downes, Cammock, Leahy (Simpson), Maylen, Debayo, Day (Adam), Collins, Williams (Barlow), Ward (Podgorski), Clark (Gmiterek)