Woodley fall to narrow defeat to league leaders

Woodley started October hosting league leaders Risborough Rangers. This was the first time the sides had met since United won a penalty shootout in February 2017 to advance to the BBFA Intermediate Cup final; a competition they ultimately ended up winning.

After a Rangers goal was ruled out for offside inside the first two minutes Woodley came within inches of taking an early lead when a Ben Anderson free kick came back off the right post. Anderson had the game’s next chance when he got on the end of a fantastic cross field pass from Teddy Thomas. Cutting in from the left Anderson’s low shot was blocked.

Fifteen minutes in the hosts took the lead. After clearing a deep Risborough free kick, United’s counter attack saw a good ball find Anderson who slid Max Laschok in on goal. Showing good composure and a tidy finish he beat Jack Brooker with a low shot into the right corner from the left of the box.

The away side were a very big team with balls in the air proving difficult for Woodley to deal with. A decent delivery from the left found Brian Haule whose glancing header was off target. Moments later Adam Thomson in the United goal pulled off an excellent double save to keep the score 1-0.

Half an hour on the clock saw Sam Wood clattered in the process of shooting whilst an Anderson free kick went into the wall.

It was one apiece nine minutes before the break courtesy of an excellent strike from Sam Pekun. Cutting in from the left and skipping past a challenge the Rangers player fired an unstoppable strike into the top right corner.

The remainder of the half saw Woodley struggling to get out of their half. Despite bossing possession the nearest Risborough came to going ahead was when a clipped ball over the top by Davis Haule found Brian Haule, who showed good strength to shrug off a challenge and force another save from Thomson.

HT Woodley United 1-1 Risborough Rangers

United were defending well and looking to hit their opponents on the break. An isolated Laschok did really well to gain the ball, hold off a challenge and get a shot away from twenty yards that was blocked.

Ten minutes into the second half saw a curling Ben Hammonds shot go wide of Thomson’s left post before the keeper showed a safe pair of hands to hold a shot from the right.

Woodley made a change on sixty two minutes when Freddie Barron took over from Conor Clarke at right back.

After a Laschok shot on the turn was saved, Rangers defender Alex Sethi got up well to head clear a lofted Anderson pass that would have seen Laschok one on one with Brooker.

Nineteen minutes left saw the visitors go ahead and once again it was a very well taken goal. A nice pass on the right found Bertie Squire-Adams who struck his half volley sweetly with the ball flying past Thomson and in off the bar.

A second United change was made on seventy four minutes when Thomas made way for Bailey Hill. This saw Pele Hagger move to a more advanced role and Hill slot in at left back

As the match entered the final ten minutes Squire-Adams was denied a second by a Thomson save in the left corner.

Woodley ended the game well with two superb Hagger deliveries from the left. The first saw Risborough captain Joel Read, who was positioned between Laschok and Anderson, head clear. The second and final chance of the match saw a deep cross nearly find Anderson whose run from deep would have paid off if he could have got any contact on the ball.

Despite defeat positives can be taken from todays performance as United cut out many of the errors that has cost them in recent matches. Whilst chances were few and far between Woodley defended very well with centre backs Jon Malone and Max Swift having excellent games.

FT Woodley United 1-2 Risborough Rangers