KESTRELS TAMED BY LIONS

WOODLEY United were inflicted to defeat on the road as promotion hopefuls London Lions put two past the Kestrels without reply.

United gave a much improved performance compared to that of the previous outing at AFC Hayes with players working hard and defending well in the final third of the pitch.

United started positively and saw Josh Raw fire over the crossbar in the opening five minutes.

This start spurred the Lions into action as they sought to impose themselves in the game and at centre back had in Levi Levenfiche arguably the man of the match who looked calm on the ball and was quick to react to Woodley’s attacks.

The opening goal was scored from close range by the visitors’ captain Austin Lipman who reacted first to a low cross form the right hand side into the Woodley penalty area in the nineteenth minute

Woodley responded with Reece Probert flagged off side as he broke through the Lions back four following an inch perfect pass while Lions put a free kick over Ethan Giles’s crossbar as did Max Kyte with a header.

Lipman had the opportunity to extend the visitors’ lead in the 34th minute from the penalty spot but was denied by a fine save from Giles to his left and then bravely got his body in the way as the on rushing forward put the loose ball wide of the post.

The second half was two minutes old when Mark Williams put a Pedro Monteiro corner over David Myers crossbar as Woodley started the half as they did the first.

But once again Lions gradually got into the half but resolute Woodley defending restricted

Lions to one shot over the crossbar in the opening quarter of hour of the second half.

The second goal and decisive goal came in the 66th minute when Lipman calmly slotted past Giles following good approach play.

The visitors greater experience saw their goal rarely troubled while United survived a disallowed goal for offside and Giles saving well from substitute Joe Bregman.

Wodley recovered from their weekend defeat with a penalty shootout victory over Chalvey Sports in the Berks & Bucks Cup.

The match ended in a 1-1 draw in normal time, but the Kestrels progressed with a 4-1 penalty triumph.

Woodley United: Giles, Whight, Carmichael, Monteiro (Birkett), Richardson, Williams, Probert (Gray), Raw (Reid), Page-Smith, Anderson (Tegg), Smith (Elmore)