1st team advance in Isuzu FA Vase

On a warm sunny afternoon in front of a three figure crowd boosted by many ground hoppers, United defeated Wessex League Division One members AFC Aldermaston and will now play in the 2nd Round Qualifying of the Isuzu FA Vase for the first time since 2020. The tie is to be played on 23rd September 2023 where a trip to Gloucestershire based Newent Town awaits.

Woodley started positively in a match played at Henley Town, as Rivermoor Stadium was unavailable due to Reading Festival, but again struggled when out of possession with the Atomics lively on the counter attack. However, timely tackles by Kaser Chowdhary and Kasper Lok prevented home keeper Finn Rushton being troubled.

A flowing move in the seventeenth minute saw Connor Richardson putting a low cross from the right hand side into the visitors’ penalty area where Junaid Bell did well to control the ball only to shot over the crossbar.

Gradually United’s superior passing and movement saw them wrestle control of the game but it was not until the thirty-eight minute that the opening goal arrived when Richardson ran at the left back and put a low cross into the penalty area that saw Bell’s blocked shot go to Connor Suckling to drive a shot from fourteen yards pass George Allen in the AFC Aldermaston goal.

United kicked the second half off kicking towards the railway line end and twice hit Allen’s side netting in the opening four minutes which was followed by Allen diving to his left eight minutes later to push away Sid Gbla’s goal bound shot for a corner kick. However, the Woodley forward was not to be denied a goal and extended the lead in the sixty third minute running onto Bell’s header, from Rushton’s free kick, to beat Allen in a one on one situation.

Woodley maintained the upper hand with Richardson winning a corner and Suckling shooting wide, but it needed Rushton to tip a rare Atomics shot over his crossbar in the seventy sixth minute to help the hosts maintain their two goal lead.

With the game entering stoppage time and United looking comfortable for a victory, the visitors won a corner kick that was headed back into United’s penalty area where Lorenzo Medford headed pass Rushton to reduce the deficit. Despite the assistant referee flagging for off-side and speaking with the referee, the goal was allowed to stand and set up a nervy further seven minutes stoppage time.

AFC Aldermaston won another corner shortly after the Medford goal, which United cleared to safety as they managed the game towards the final whistle. However, the win was secured in the fourth minute of stoppage time when Bell scored from close range after a save by Allen from a Gbla shot.

Rushton, Adu Essah, Davies (Lambourne), Carmichael, Chowdhary, Lok, Richardson (Brandao), Manneh, Gbla, Bell, Suckling (DeBarros) Subs not used: Monteiro, Carolan, Nwokobia, Ashu