Southern Region Women’s Football League Premier
Back to one of my old stomping grounds, this would be my 19th Woodley Ladies match over the past four years but my first in well over a year. It’s changed a bit in that time, personnel and management changes with a new team emerging, as well as adding a whacking great fence to cordon off the pitch from the main park which has appeared since my last visit!
The pitch looked in good condition despite the rain we’ve had recently and it had passed an early precautionary inspection so it was full steam ahead. Today’s visitors were Fleet Town who were sitting in a comfortable mid-table position going into the game but they would be looking to pick up the three points today with the home side only just outside of the relegation places on goal difference.
I hadn’t planned to do a report on this game but you’ll see why I changed my mind as we go on!
The game started with the visitors on top, early shots from Keira Simpson, Layla Drury and Zoe Luff were too close to Woodley keeper Jo Nowak-Allum. all going straight to her.
The waves of Fleet attacks kept coming, a ball over the top found the run of Simpson but Nowak-Allum had closed the space down well and blocked Simpson’s shot with her legs. The same two were involved again with Simpson this time beating the keeper with her shot only to see it go narrowly past the post.
Layla Drury on the left was looking dangerous every time she picked up the ball and she made a chance soon after, playing the ball for Luff to hit first time only to see it whistle past the post.
Fleet spent virtually all of the first half in the Woodley half and I’d just commented about this ending goalless again after my first stalemate of the season on Saturday when, five minutes before half time and on Woodley’s first real attack of the game, they won a penalty when Violet Scully was brought down in the area. Amelie Mayani stepped up and dispatched the spot kick to give Woodley an unlikely lead. 1-0
Just before the break Fleet had a great chance to level. A Priya Wilson cross from the left was backheeled at the near post by Lily Martin to Simpson only for her shot to be blocked superbly by Holly Sharp, the rebound was picked up by Drury who sent a shot goalwards but Nowak-Allum scurrying across goal managed to get an important block on the line to clear.
H-T: Woodley United 1 Fleet Town 0
Fleet started the second half again on the front foot and it wasn’t long until parity was restored. A nice passing move down the left by Luff and Drury led to a ball into the box where Martin finished nicely close in. 1-1
Just a couple of minutes later Martin was again causing problems in the area with the referee pointing to the spot when she went down. Martin took responsibility and stroked the ball to the left of Nowak-Allum to turn around the scoreline. 1-2
The fun and games were only just starting, the visitors fashioned another good chance with Olivia Cervino battling well through the Woodley midfield before knocking it to Martin. A nice pull back found Drury in space in the middle of the area and she shifted the ball nicely from left to right foot but lifted her shot over the bar.
Fleet were playing an extremely high line in defence and got caught out in the 70th minute when a ball through picked out Caitlin Kemp’s run from her own half. She ran on clear of the defenders and rifled a shot past Joss Ellerby in the Fleet goal. 2-2
From the restart Fleet retook the lead, Drury again finding space in the area and this time made no mistake to restore the away side’s lead. 2-3
Just two minutes later Woodley were level again. The Fleet high line was again breached in almost a replica of the last Woodley attack, another through ball was picked up by another well timed run from Kemp who this time fired low past Ellerby and into the right corner. 3-3
The next goal was just around the corner, a great run from Martin showing good feet taking the ball past three defenders before slotting the ball past Nowak-Allum to again give the visitors a lead. 3-4
In the 78th minute Fleet again got caught playing offside on the half way line, this time a pass found Chante Bynoe-Gittens and her pace and strength beat Neve Maryan trying to cover and fired past Ellerby and high into the net. 4-4
After a crazy spell of five goals in eight minutes everyone could finally take a breath as the game settled down. Drury forced a good save low down from Nowak-Allum but as the referee signalled four minutes added time it looked like both sides were going to take a point.
But in this topsy-turvy game there was always likely to be one more twist and it happened in the 94th minute. A long ball through the Woodley defence led to a foot race between Martin running through and Nowak-Allum coming out to clear. Martin just pipped the keeper to the ball and managed to knock it past her and stroke the ball into the empty net to give Martin her fourth goal of the game and the visitors a welcome three points. 4-5
F-T: Woodley United 4 Fleet Town 5
A thoroughly enjoyable game with an utterly bonkers eight minute spell in the second half! Woodley will be disappointed not to get anything from the game but showed fantastic never say die attitude to keep going whenever behind. They have some important games coming up and will be looking to keep this battling spirit going as they look to stay in the division. Fleet look a good side with a lot of quality especially going forward. They too showed good resilience to keep searching for the win despite being pegged back so many times. Good signs for both teams going forward.
Wishing the best of luck to both sides for the rest of the season.