Penn & Tylers Green 0 v Woodley United 0
On a dank misty afternoon on a pitch made heavy from the previous day’s rain, league leaders Woodley United visited title chasing Penn & Tylers Green , who like United had only lost one league game. A crowd in excess of a hundred and forty were entertained not withstanding a goal less draw with both teams defending well to the extent that both goal keepers were rarely troubled.
The first shot of the game came in the fifth minute when Woodley’s Harvey Collins shooting over the home cross bar as Woodley adopted to play the ball forward quickly in the opening ten minutes making good use of their wing backs Nico Cammock and Finley Meikle.
A good move, stated by defender Eden Downes in his own half in the twentieth minute allowed him to pass to Troy Williams who in turn passed to Ornildo Shehu only for the later to shot into the side netting. This was followed two minutes later with United’s Joe Hill saving for a corner kick.
Such was the competitiveness in midfield that the match became stop start with free kicks being conceded by both teams. Felix Pruddow shot over Hill’s crossbar which was followed in the thirty fourth minute with a header over the visitors’ goal from a free kick into the Woodley penalty area.
The final four minutes of the half saw Williams shoot wide from a Kaylum Barlow pass, Collins see a free kick cleared for a corner, Zeid Hannachi have a shot blocked for another corner and Williams shoot wide.
United started the second half as they ended the first half with Ornildo Shehu seeing home goalkeeper Sam Butcher comfortably save two of his shots. As the half progressed both defences became resolute in their determination to block shots and close down their opponents quickly, which was demonstrated by Woodley captain and man of the match Keiran Maylen who twice made last ditch challenges to clear the ball with an opponent well placed to have a shot at goal. The one time Maylen was out run for a ball, Hill blocked Ben Sturgess’ shot when one on one with the Woodley keeper.
Ten minutes of added stoppage time was played at the end of the second half but neither defence was prepared to be breached leaving both teams to share the points and maintain top position in the league table.
Hill, Simpson, Cammock, Hannachi (Leahy), Maylen, Downes, Meikle (Maadini), Collins, Williams, Barlow (Van Spall), Shehu (Taplin) Sub not used: Stewart