Woodley go down to injury time loss in first midweek match of the season

After an even opening ten minutes, it was Woodley who had the game’s first chances. Right wing back Alex Freeth fed Toby Briggs down the right channel; the forward missed to the left from twenty yards. This was followed up by Kai Parton-Edey showing good strength on the halfway line to turn his man before testing Matt Desay in the home goal.

United had a scare on fifteen minutes when Jamel Forde-Small latched onto a ball over the top only to see his shot from the right of the box brilliantly blocked by Woodley centre back Joe Sissons.

The visitors were playing some nice stuff. A flowing move started by a fine Luke Titcomb pass found Chace Jewell on the left wing, he passed to Briggs who teed up Liam Wilson who forced Desay into another stop.

More pressure from Woodley saw Freeth and Briggs combine with the latter setting up Sam Guze whose powerful shot was kept out by Desay.

In between the chances the home side had the ball in the net but it was ruled out for a foul on United keeper Brad Moore.

Aldermaston took the lead on thirty three minutes when Forde-Small timed his run well to get on the end of another ball over the top; despite Sissons getting a tackle in, the ball rolled past Moore and in.

United were almost immediately gifted a chance to level when a mistake in the home defence presented Guze with a golden chance to equalise. Striking his shot well it was beaten out by Desay. The rebound fell to Briggs who also had his shot saved.

At the other end Michael Porter had an effort cleared off the line by Freeth following a right wing corner.

Woodley ended the half well with Briggs having a shot blocked for a corner. The resultant delivery saw Sissons narrowly volley wide before a Parton-Edey free kick went into the side netting.

HT AFC Aldermaston 1-0 Woodley United

The hosts doubled their lead five minutes after the restart when Matt Wikins volleyed into the right corner after United could only head up rather than out a deep free kick.

Woodley made a change on fifty five minutes when Jamie Smith came on for Ben Clark.

Just before the hour Guze showed good tenacity to win back possession in the right corner. A decent cross picked out Parton-Edey whose flick found Jewell who was tackled as he was shooting.

Moments later Aldermaston nearly got a third when they hit the left post following a free kick on the right.

United made a double change on sixty one minutes. Pele Hagger and Karl Deans replaced Briggs and Wilson. This saw a change to 4-3-3 with Hagger slotting in at left back and Jewell moving forward. Deans joined Sissons at centre back with Toby Edwards moving to right back and Titcomb joining Smith and Guze in the middle of the park.

Woodley halved the lead with twenty five minutes to go with a fine strike from Guze. Showing good feet on the edge of the box he beat several defenders before firing into the top left corner.

Guze then had a great chance to get his second but headed over from close range after a Jewell corner was flicked on at the near post.

The scores were deservedly level with six minutes to go when a big kick from Moore saw an Aldermaston defender misjudge the flight of the ball allowing Parton-Edey to gain control and slot past Desay. That is four in four for Parton-Edey.

United came agonisingly close to winning it in injury time when Freeth cut in from the right, beat several players before getting off a low shot that hit the inside of the left post.

In the ninety third minute Woodley were cruelly denied a merited point when a deep free kick was headed back across goal for Josh Blackwood to nod in from close range.

FT AFC Aldermaston 3-2 Woodley United