The Only Way is Up

Woodley United FC went to second placed Wargrave knowing that a win in their final league game of the season will see them crowned Southern Region Women’s Football League Division One North champions and a return to the Premier division after two year’s absence.

Kicking off, United took the initiative from the off and were rewarded in the eight minute when Rosie Page-Smith out jumped home keeper Rebecca Bateson to head home from three yards Tatty Master’s left wing cross.

With May Hamblin dangerous in possession on the left United repeatedly stretched the home team’s defence but were unable to add to their lead before the half time break.

For Wargrave their main offense was relying on corners and free kicks but these were comfortably dealt with by the Woodley defence leaving Nicole Haines little to do in her goal.

The second half started in the same vein as the first was played with United failing to convert chances created. However, two goals in two minutes changed this as Page-Smith completed her hat-trick. In the fifty ninth minute she out ran a defender following Maddie Sawyers through ball before rounding Bateson to score from a tight angle. The forward then headed home Bek Lowes corner for a three goal lead.

It was Lowes who got the fourth in the sixty ninth minute heading past Bateson inside the keepers left post from a Page-Smith cross.

Both Hamblin and ex-Wargrave player Jodie Penny shot wide when well placed but did both score. Penny reacted first to Haines long kick to out run the defence and fire past Bateson with nine minutes of play remaining and five minutes later Hamblin found herself unmarked in the penalty area following another Sawyer pass to complete the victory for Woodley.

The win was a fifth successive league clean sheet for the team who can be rightly proud to their achievements for the season.

N Haines, Evans, Wilkins, Lowes, Surtees, Cook, Penny, Master, Page-Smith, Sawyer, Hamblin Subs all used: Pearson, Ward and Preston-Morris