Delight in the rain

United’s Vase run continued with a hard earned defensive display at Stag Meadow, Windsor on a grey wet afternoon against Combined Counties League Premier Division high flyers Virginia Water.

The hosts started quickly and had the first chance when Reece Gairy beat the offside trap and raced onto a through ball. However, his touch was heavy which took him away from goal and allowed Josh Nwokobia to get back and block his effort on the goal line.

In the twelfth minute, a one two down the right flank from the hosts released Andrio Brandao whose pull back from the byline found Adam Sewell unmarked in the penalty area but he blasted over the cross bar. Water maintained the pressure and went close again seven later when Casey Boccaro’s free kick from the left was swung in deep towards the back post. Woodley keeper Killian Barrett misjudged the flight and it found its way to Sewell again who saw his header rebound off the base of the post and cleared away to safety.

Despite the home team’s pressure it was United who took the lead in the twenty third minute. Tahir Carmichael won a midfield tackle, passing left to Connor Richardson who beat three players before crossing the ball into the goal area where Sid Gbla side footed past Matthew Jones in the home goal.

Despite this setback Virginia Water continued to push forward to be denied twice by Woodley’s Killian Barratt. Woodley had a rare attack in then thirty eighth minutes where a passing move between Connor Suckling and Rafa Brandao released Gbla The forward was on his own facing two defenders but still managed to get a shot on target which was well saved by Jones low to his right.

The second half started off in a similar fashion with the hosts having the majority of the play and they were rewarded in the fifty third minute when a corner from the right was flicked on and fell between Sewell and Gairy with the latter managing to poke the ball into the Woodley net.

The goal galvanise the hosts. Gairy had a half chance when he slid in and knocked the ball past Barrett only to see Nwokobia clear the ball from just inside the right hand post. Brandao had another shot saved by Barrett before the Woodley keeper pulled off another stunning save from Bocarro. He saw his first shot blocked just inside the area by Watkiss but reacted quickest to volley a cracker goalwards only to see Barrett claw the ball away to his right.

At the other end, a run down the right wing and a nice one two with Gbla gave Manny Adu Essah a chance to shoot inside the area but Jones managed to save his effort with his legs. Soon after a long throw from Watkiss fell to Nwokobia just inside the area but he fired over.

After eight minutes of time added on in which both sides searched for the winner, the referee blew the full time whistle and the match was to be decided by penalties

Woodley won the penalty shootout with Virginia Water missing their third and fifth penalties, one a superb save from Barrett and Woodley only missing their fourth to spark jubilant scenes from all involved with the visitors when Carmichael saw his penalty (Woodley’s fifth) enter the off the inside of Jones’ left hand post after the keeper had pushed the ball onto the upright.

A trip to last season’s Combined Counties Premier division runners-up now awaits United on 11th November 2023

Barratt, Adu Essah, Nwokobia, Carmichael, Watkiss, Hok, Suckling, Lambourn (Manneh), Gbla, Brandao (Debarros), Richardson Subs not used: Jeczalik, Mabukwa, Chowdhary, Davies, Ojong