Against high flying Eversley California, United gave a much improved performance from that of the previous week only to go down to three goals conceded from set pieces.
The hosts’ preparation did not get off to the best start with midfielder Max Reid taking over goalkeeping responsibilities due to late awareness of covid in regular keeper Ashley East’s household.
Reid was called into action as early as the second minute when he used his body well to block an attempted shot in what was a high tempo opening to the game.
The visiting keeper Henry Pidgeon, was called upon to clear the ball with his feet, Reid blocked another shot with Ben Anderson putting wide following a low cross from Ciaran Carolan, all in the opening ten minutes.
Eversley took the lead in the 14th when Harinder Singh Hunjan strucka free kick from the left hand side that curled his inside the left top corner of Reid’s goal.
Anderson saw a tame shot easily saved by Pidgeon in the 24th minute before Caleb Lucas beat team mate Imani Likita to the ball to prod home from close range three minutes later.
Tahir Carmichael followed this with a free kick that narrowly went wide of Pidgeon’s far post Carolan beat Pidgeon in a one on one with the ball finding Anderson whose goal bound shot was cleared to safety by a covering defender.
Reid was called upon to save well for a corner as the half ended but could do nothing a minute into stoppage time when Singh scored an identical goal to his first with another sensationally hit free kick.
Two minutes into the second half Anderson put over the cross bar from a Rafa Brandao cross but the opening period of the half saw Woodley slow to get into the game with the half time break seeming to disrupt the team’s momentum of the first half.
The deciding goal came in 53rd minute when Ali Dickie reacted quickest to United clearing a corner and was allowed to control and fire a low shot inside Reid’s far post.
Woodley gradually got back into the game with Brando forcing Pidgeon to parry and then block the winger’s follow up shot in the 66th minute.
Carolan, Brandao and Anderson created a good chance that was cleared while Lucas had a low cross go across the visitor’s goal line and to safety as the ball narrowly avoided the oncoming Woodley forwards.
With the game nearing full time Singh was denied a hat trick with Reid making a low one handed save for a corner but with Eversley retaining the ball well, United were denied possession as the game wound down to enable Eversley continue their long unbeaten run.
Woodley United: Reid, Gough, Carmichael (Birkett), Monteiro, G Smith, Goddard, Lucas (Swell), Likita, Carolan (Martire) Anderson, Brandao
Eversley & California: Pidgeon, Baxter, Pantony, Moriarty, Griggs, Dickie, Catt, Farrugia, Singh, Wall, McKernanSubs: Allston, Frewin, Gill, Wint, Buckett
