WOODLEY UNITED fell to an away loss after they were made to pay for their slow start against Wallingford Town.
The Kestrels fought strongly in the second-half to stage a fightback, but the hosts held on to their lead to take the points.
As with the recent meeting between the two teams, Wallingford Town’s quick start and pace caused Woodley problems which saw the visitors two goals behind after ten minutes.
It took the division’s leading scorer Ricardo Benjamin only four minutes to open the scoring into the bottom corner of Andrew Walker’s goal and this was followed six minutes later by a twenty five yard strike from Bradley Walton.
Woodley’s best effort of the half had been a minute earlier when Archie Swell’s run was followed by the winger shooting into the side netting.
With the host’s using the width of the pitch well United struggled but went into half time only the two goals behind not withstanding Benjamin putting a shot low and wide in the24th minute.
Mite Mitev whipping a shot across the face of the goal which avoided player contact, Walker pushing a shot out for a corner and pushing a Mitev shot onto the post which was cleared for another corner kick.
A rare Woodley attack on the half hour ended in an off side while good play by Callum Betts put Rafa Brandao through on goal but Wallingford’s keeper Sam Baldock was easily able to collect the ball before the forward.
The second half saw a bright United start with the visitors looking more dangerous and enjoying better possession in the home team’s half of the pitch.
A pass to Ciaron Carolan was a fraction too long and again was comfortably collected by Baldock but United’s enterprise was rewarded in the 67th minute when the referee awarded a free kick for a push following Ben Hudell’s free kick into the penalty area.
Captain Rafa Brandao confidently struck his kick past Baldock.
However, three minutes later Charlie Silkstone had restored Town’s two goal lead when a defensive mix up enabled him to lob the ball over Walker.
Undeterred United remained positive and won a free kick on the edge of the hosts’ penalty area following a foul on Brandao from which Carolan converted the free kick with ten minutes remaining. Despite the game becoming frantic Woodley were unable to find an equaliser.
Woodley United: Walker, Gough, Salter, Smith R, Smith, G, Goddard, Carolan, Brandao, Akintola,; Swell, Betts (Hudell) Subs not used: Van Wyk, Mills-Chandler
