United go down to title chasing Saints

United’s latest game was at championship chasing Southampton who sit in second place in the division with a hundred percent record.

As with last week Woodley kicked into a strong wind during the first half and started in positive fashion with Jodie Penny finding Rosie Page-Smith in the fifth minute for the forward’s shot to be blocked. Five minutes later Maddie Sawyer won the team a free kick from a dangerous position.

Slowly the Saints go a foot hold into the game with full back Ella Morris and winger Georgie Freeland dangerous on the right flank but contained well by Woodley’s left back Shelby Preston-Morris.

The thirteenth minute saw United’s player of the match Nicole Haines make a fine save and followed this in twentieth minute to push Morris’ shot aware for a corner.

With Clara Stringer and Ellen Surtees blocking shots and Saints Chloe Newton being denied for offside Woodley looked to have weathered the wind and go into the break goalless. However, a Saints corner in the forty fourth minute was cleared to the edge of the penalty area and returned into the Woodley goal area where Newton scrambled the ball into the next from two yards out.

Twice in the opening five minutes Haines denied Saints whose quick movement of the ball caused the visitors’ problems. United remained firm but were relying on half chances which fell to Page-Smith, Molly Lambourne and Sawyer.

Ella Pusey saw a goal disallowed for off side before a cross was headed home by Ellie Chaffe in the seventy fifth minute to double the hosts’ lead.

The scoring was completed two minutes from time when Pusey capitalised on a mistake to round Haines.

Haines, Hunt, Preston-Morris, Stringer (Ward), Surtees, Evans, Penny (Lambourne), Sawyer, Page-Smith, Pearson, Wilkins