United let a two goal lead slip!

For the first time this season, Woodley went two games unbeaten but will be disappointed that they let a two goal half time lead slip.

The visitors forced two corners in the opening four minutes and saw a shot hit the outside of Ashley East left goal post with United backing off their opponents. However, following a strike by Jordan Goddard from the edge of the visitors’ penalty area in the thirteenth minute to open the scoring Woodley started to settle into the game.

However, it was not until the twenty fourth minute that United found rhythm in their play and exert pressure. Ciaran Carolan Bedfont’s keeper Sam Bersey only for his shot to be headed of the goal line into Bersey’s hands.

A minute later Ben Anderson got onto the end of Gary Smith’s free kick to force Bersey to save to be followed shortly afterwards by Anderson being flagged off side as he rolled the ball into an empty net.

Bedfont’s only opportunity during this spell saw Zach Scott narrowly fail to connect with a long cross field pass on the half hour. Rafa Brandao cross was parried by Bersey but the advancing Carolan was beaten to the ball by a defender while Anderson slipped when one on one with the keeper.

United’s pressure finally told in the thirty sixth minute with Imani Likita scoring his first goal for the club from close range in a crowded penalty area with the visitors struggling to clear the ball.

As half time approached Bedfont put a free kick wide of the home goal.

With most of the second half played in a downpour making the pitch slippery United continued to enjoy the better of the game but failed to find the important third goal. Anderson was tackled in the penalty area having got on the end of another Smith free kick, while Smith saw Bersey punch away his header from Goddard’s free kick but Anderson put the loose ball over the cross bar. Tahir Carmichael also saw his free kick cleared to safety in the sixty fifth minute.

A change by Bedford in their formation to 3-4-3 saw them start to get back into the game and they were rewarded in the seventy seventh minute when following a Smith headed clearance, a shot from the right hand side of Woodley’s penalty area hit a Woodley defender and go into the net.

This was followed four minutes later when Stuart Birkett conceded a penalty which Kildane Tesfu converted to level the scores.

With the pitch deteriorating both teams saw out the match which included six minutes stoppage time to share the points in what was Woodley’s first drawn match of the season.

East, Birkett, Carmichael, Monteiro, G Smith, Williams, Likita (Salter), Goddard, Carolan, Anderson, Brandao Subs not used: Reid, R Smith, DeFreitas