Kestrels flying high after first win
Woodley United 3 Binfield 2
IAN DAVIES made an instant impact to fire Woodley to an historic first ever Hellenic Premier Division victory.
After two creditable 0-0 draws to kick off the campaign, Michael Herbert’s men embarked on a run of three defeats on the spin, all without scoring a goal.
But they broke their duck for the season as early as the ninth minute at Rivermoor on Saturday thanks to Davies’ debut strike.
Binfield defender Jeff Brown then headed into his own net before former Moles man Davies heaped more misery on his old club with his second just before half-time.
To their credit, the visitors did threaten an unlikely second half revival thanks to strikes from Josh Howell and Brad Pagliaroli, but it was too little, too late.
Both sides came into the game on a poor run of form and having just suffered thrashings at the hands of Bracknell Town over the bank holiday weekend. Woodley were beaten 6-0, while Binfield lost out 6-1.
Herbert shuffled his pack and handed a debut to Davies up front in place of James Tennant and he got off to the perfect start.
Committing men forwards on a counter-attack, Woodley worked the ball well out to
Danny Horscroft on the left, who rolled it into the path of Davies to tuck home from close range after just nine minutes.
Binfield came close to levelling, twice striking the woodwork with Jack ThompsonWheeler heading a Jos Millar cross onto the post before Harry Lee’s effort struck the crossbar.
But Woodley regrouped and doubled their advantage five minutes before the break when Nathanael Robinson’s free kick was headed into his own net by Brown.
And the visitors were stunned, finding themselves 3-0 down before the half was out as Davies broke down the left and finished well across goalkeeper Liam Vaughan.
The forward came close to his hat-trick after the restart as
Woodley threatened a rout, but Binfield’s early season talisman Howell reduced the arrears with a pinpoint free kick into the top corner.
And it was a nervy finish as Pagliaroli cut inside and smashed in low to bring the scores to 3-2 with just four minutes to go.
Herbert’s charges held on to seal three huge points.
WOODLEY: Reed, Greenwood, Turner, Nicholls (c), I. Kamara, Porter, Ledger, Beckett (Prestidge 15 (Hinds 54)), I. Davies, Horscroft, Robinson (Khomsi 77). Subs not used: O. Davies, Barley.
BINFIELD: Vaughan, Dickie, Brown, Smith, ThompsonWheeler, Lee (Whyte 66), Knight (c), Howell, Millar, Langford (Tuttle 56 (Santoro 78)), Pagliaroli. Subs not used: Kemp, Lock.
Attendance: 44
WOODLEY were back in league action again on Tuesday night, travelling to face winless Burnham.
The Kestrels looked well-placed for backto-back victories when Jake Nicholls opened the scoring just before half-time, but Burnham battled bAck for a 1-1 draw.
Herbert’s man face an away trip to Oxford City Nomads in the FA Vase on Saturday.