WOODLEY UNITED were beaten in a nine goal thriller as they came away with no points after a late winner from Warsash Wasps despite a hat-trick from Rosie Page-Smith.
United played their first game in six weeks and started in a positive manner putting pressure on the home defence but were undone defensively in a match that had five goals in the opening twenty two minutes, saw Woodley recover from a two goal deficit only to concede the decisive winning goal two minutes from full time.
Wasps’ first attack in the thirteenth minute saw Paulina Lemos make a good save for a corner, which saw Beth Norman head unchallenged from close range into the net. Two minutes later Wasps had extended their lead from a corner kick, when the visitors thought there was an offside in the build-up play, that saw Lemos fail to cleanly connect with the ball and help it on its way into the net.
Immediately Woodley responded with Rosie Page-Smith reducing the deficit from a Freya Jenkins cross. While United were good going forward with Jenkins enjoying good play on the left flank they were susceptible to the counter attack and conceded a third goal in the 20th minute when a low cross from the right was driven inside Lemos’ right hand post by Danielle Cheyney from the edge of the penalty area.
Again Woodley responded with Page-Smith getting her second from another Jenkins cross two minutes later. But a defensive misunderstanding allowed Emily Marsland to restore the hosts’ two goal advantage in the 28th minute.
Despite enjoying good possession United were unable to add to their score and went into half-time trailing by four goals to two.
Although both teams created chances in the second half these were comfortably dealt with by both keepers and it took until the 78th minute for the next goal which came from Page-Smith to complete her hat trick when she received a pass from Ellen Surtees and fired past Rebecca Gardiner into the top right hand corner.
Five minutes later Woodley was level when Jenkins had another assist to Mollie Haines who with her back to goal turned and shot.
The good work of getting level was undone in the 88th minute when a Wasps’ free kick deep into the Woodley penalty area was allowed to be headed goal wards by Norman and squirm over the goal line to give her team the win.
Woodley are in ninth position with 10 points after 12 games.
Woodley United: Lemos, Tripp, Wilkins, Pearson, Surtees, Stringer, Haines, Sawyer, Page-Smith, Scott, Jenkins (Lambourne)
