United blunt The Hammers

For the third time this season, United found themselves playing a Premier Division team away from home and for the third time acquitted themselves well progressing into the third round (last sixteen) of the ComCo Football League’s Premier League cup.

Six changes were made to the starting line up from that which played in the team’s last outing with youngsters Mackenzie Creech and Agbor-ya Ojong coming into the midfield and whose work rates and willingness to be in possession saw the visitors more than match their hosts.

Woodley started strongly as saw a couple of low crosses into the Cobham penalty area evade oncoming players whereafter the opening half hour saw no clear chances created by either side and what half chances there were subject to defences blocking goal attempts.

The final two minutes of the first half were the best for The Hammers that required Killian Barratt to save well from Reis Stanislaus’ free kick followed by a diving save to push the goal bound shot away for a corner kick.

Three minutes into the second half Rafa Brandao headed the ball forward that saw Cobham’s Anthony Nazzerth hesitate momentarily allowing Ojong to run onto the ball, withhold a belated Nazzerth challenge to slot the ball pass Andrew Westphal in the home goal.

Two early substitutions were made by Woodley with Bakai Manneh coming into midfield where his tackling was instrumental in preventing Cobham creating any momentum while Ojong was becoming increasingly dangerous on the left wing. It was the same player who was instrumental in United’s second goal when he received Connor Richardson’s long pass, out ran a defender followed by a low cross into the goal area for the unmarked Connor Suckling to tap the goal into the net after sixty nine minutes.

With the centre back pairing of the returning Mark Williams and Josh Nwokobia leading by example in not wanting to concede. Cobham found it difficult to create chances and when they did Killian continued to save well. With Ojong continuing to be a threat going forward, United was competitive to the end and secured a deserved win.

Barratt, Davies, Massaquoi, (Jeczalik), Carmichael (LePaih), Williams, Nwokobia, Suckling (Bossman), Creech (Manneh), Richardson, Brandao, Ojong Sub not used: Walker