United come away from Langley empty handed

Whenever Woodley visit Summerleaze Village it seems to rain. Last year, just before Christmas, a game was abandoned because of a waterlogged pitch, this season’s opener was played in horrendous conditions and on Tuesday evening once again the majority of the match took place in driving rain.

The opening stages saw a couple of United chances. Gareth Ainsworth did well to retain possession on the right of the box; passing left, Danny Blatchford’s effort missed to the target before Ainsworth had a shot from distance saved.

Langley were much improved from the game in August. Ben White’s half volley from twenty two yards was easily kept out by Woodley keeper Adam Thomson, a long throw-in found Riccardo Cannon who trapped the ball and missed to the right with the hosts adamant it took a deflection, whilst a Conrad Joseph free kick was off target.

Twenty minutes in saw a crazy nine minutes that produced four goals. Langley got the opener from another long throw. After a goalmouth scramble Luke Paris prodded in from close range.

Two minutes later the scores were level from a well worked move. Sam Guze got the ball in midfield, glided forward before finding Ainsworth on the right with a perfectly weighted through ball. Taking a touch, Ainsworth got his first goal for the club with a well-placed shot into the bottom left corner. United then took the lead for the first time with Guze once again the provider when he found Max Laschok who made no mistake from fifteen yards.

The home side then levelled the scores just before the half hour in strange circumstances when a long punt forward found the isolated Ben White. With no support and no challenge being put in, he placed a shot past Thomson into the right corner from a good twenty five yards out.

Between a Guze free kick that went into the wall and a header by captain Luke Axton-Hall missing, Thomson showed good hands to keep out a firm Cannon header. The final chance of a half played in difficult conditions saw Woodley midfielder Harry Hawkins find the side netting from the edge of the box.

HT Langley 2-2 Woodley United

Other than the visitors’ Harry Swabey blazing over after a great touch by Guze to bring down a long Thomson free kick, the opening ten minutes of the second period were quiet.

Langley then came close to regaining the lead when they worked the ball right to left with Levi Thackeray ending the move when he struck the right post. Moments later Cannon had a chance cleared off the line as United held on.

Woodley made a change just past the hour when Swabey made way for Ben Anderson.

Immediately involved, Anderson headed on a Thomson kick to Laschok who ran at the home defence before Guze took over. After riding a few tackles the ball broke to Hawkins who was denied by a block.

It was 3-2 to the hosts on sixty eight minutes when a fine strike from substitute Karol Derewenko arrowed into the top left corner from way out on the right.

Looking for an immediate response, an Ainsworth free kick was saved in the left corner after Anderson was tripped.

A second change was made on seventy three minutes, Pele Hagger replacing Blatchford.

With twelve minutes to go we were all square again when a sublime Anderson cross from the right picked out Ainsworth who did really well to get a boot onto the ball at full stretch and guide it home.

United made their final change with seven minutes to go when Teddy Thomas came on for Laschok.

As the match entered the final five minutes another good delivery by Anderson from the right was claimed by Harry Cushen in the Langley goal who showed bravery and decent catching ability to hold a very wet ball that went through a sea of bodies. Woodley’s final effort came seconds later and saw Jon Malone miss to the right.

Langley claimed their first points of the season a minute from time when a ball in from the wing picked out sub Jake Chaplin who beat Thomson with a shot into the right corner.

FT Langley 4-3 Woodley United