Goalie Reed saves Kestrels’ Senior Cup run

Woodley United 1 Abingdon United 1 (Woodley win on pens.)

GOALKEEPER Alex Reed was the hero as Woodley edged past Abingdon on penalties to move through to the second round of the Berks and Bucks Senior

Cup.

Reed was named man-of-thematch after a string of fine saves and he also pulled off a vital stop in the shoot-out as Woodley won 4-2 on spot kicks following a 1-1 draw after 90 minutes.

It was an entertaining but goalless first half at Rivermoor on Monday evening and Abingdon broke the deadlock on the hour mark when Kyle Moss headed in.

But the hosts eventually battled their way back into the contest, equalising when substitute Jake White’s low strike from distance found its way into the bottom corner.

With no extra time in this competition, the game went straight to penalties and it was 2-2 after two with Ashley Ledger and White on target for Woodley.

Both sides missed their third with Reed pulling off a save, which allowed Jake Nicholls to put the Kestrels 3-2 up.

Abingdon’s fourth kick cleared the crossbar and up stepped Joe Barley to convert the final penalty and seal a second round showdown at step four Beaconsfield Town on Monday.

WOODLEY: Reed, Barley, Goddard (White 66), Nicholls, I. Kamara, Cooper, Hinds, Ledger, Beckett (Wilson 73), Horscroft, O. Davies (Samuel-Harman 63).

Attendance: 33

Fairford Town 0 Woodley United 1

AND that cup success came just two days after Woodley leapt up to 12th in the Hellenic Premier Division table with victory over Fairford.

James Anderson’s men are now six points clear of the bottom three with 16 points from their 15 games thanks to Danny Horscroft’s goal at Cinder Lane.

Playing with their wind behind them in the first half, Woodley started well with wingers Owen Davies and Carl Prestidge looking lively.

But for all the United pressure, the hosts went close to taking the lead when Lee Smith struck the foot of the post.

The deadlock was broken on 27 minutes when Luke Turner played the ball forwards for Davies, who in turn picked out Horscroft to fire in from the edge of the box.

Fine defensive blocks from

Mitch Cooper and Michael Porter preserved the lead going into halftime.

Horscroft almost doubled his tally shortly after the restart, hitting the woodwork before Greg Beckett’s follow-up was turned behind.

Reed then had to be alert to keep his clean sheet while Barley and Nicholls both cleared off the line in the dying stages as Woodley held on.

The Kestrels are back on the road in the league on Saturday, travelling to fellow mid-table side Tuffley Rovers (3pm).

WOODLEY: Reed, Turner, Barley, Nicholls, Porter (Goddard 63), Cooper, O. Davies (Wilson 76), Ledger, Beckett, Horscroft, Prestidge (Hinds 80).