United mightier than the Penn!

Playing only its third game in five weeks United travelled to Penn and played a match on a pitch soft following the recent prolonged rain. The hosts entered the game in good form unbeaten in four games, consisting of three wins that included putting eight goals past play off hopefuls Yateley United.

However, from kicking off United was the dominant team with the movement of Connor Richardson, Connor Suckling, Alex Donville and Ornildo Shehu causing the home defence problems and as early as the first minute Woodley took the lead when Suckling pass found Richardson to score past home keeper Sam Butcher.

Further chances came in the opening quarter hour which saw Donville have a shot blocked for a corner, Sucking again setting up Richardson for the latter to put his effort over the cross bar when one on one with Butcher and Suckling heading into the side netting following hesitation between Butcher and right back Sydney Woods.

The hosts first threatening effort came in the nineteenth minute when Chris Hurst shot wide and from the clearance United attacked and saw claims for a penalty kick denied following a challenge on Donville. Hurst also had a chance to level on the half hour when unmarked shot wide.

A series of free kicks followed without being threatening to both goals before United went into the break two goals ahead when Alex Donville calmly slotted the ball past Butcher when one on one in the first minute of first half stoppage time to record his first goal for the club.

Woodley maintained a high tempo after the restart that saw Richardson shooting across goal and Rafa Brandao shooting straight a Butcher. The third goal came fourteen minutes into the half when Suckling reacted first to a United free kick into the hosts penalty area to drive a shot into the net. The awarding of the free kick saw protests from the home team after the goal and Butcher being sinned binned before the game restarted. Veteran centre back and ex-Woodley United captain Gary Smith temporarily went in goal for Penn and it was during this ten minute period that the home teams enjoyed their best period in the game as Woodley’s play became frantic and fractured in search of a further goal.

The fourth and final goal came in ninetieth minute that saw two substitutes combine in Manny Abu-Essah crossing low from the right for the on running John Openibo to score from close range. A period of ten minutes stoppage time was played that saw Abu-Essah fire over the cross bar and Butcher deny Shehu’s low drive and Penn’s Hurst also shot wide.

Clark, Davies (Maadini), Jeczalik, Creech (Lambourn), Hok (Coates), Nwokobia, Suckling (Openibo) Brandao, Richardson (Abu-Essah), Shehu, Donville