‘The better side lost’ rues Wokingham’s Bateman
Woodley United 3 Wokingham and Emmbrook 2
DAN BATEMAN believes the better side lost as Woodley struck late to triumph against neighbours Wokingham and Emmbrook. The Kestrels took the lead in the opening minute through a Chace Jewell volley before a brilliant Ellis Day strike levelled the contest.
Sam Guze struck just before half-time to put Jon Laugharne’s Woodley back in front, only for Josh Harris to equalise for the Sumas midway through the second half. Wokingham then pushed hard for the winner with Harris and Jake White both guilty of big misses and they were made to pay as Teddy Thomas crashed in a last-gasp winner for the hosts. “I thought we played well,” Sumas boss Bateman told The Wokingham Paper.
“I think we gave away a soft goal to start with, which was a great finish and then we played well for 35 minutes, rightly got ourselves back into it and then another rubbish goal to give away just on the brink of half-time.
“In the second half we controlled it, dominated, rightly equalised and then we’ve missed three great opportunities you have to score.
“Then in the last minute we’re on the counter-attack, we sloppily gave the ball away and got mugged ultimately.
“I think anyone at the game could see we were the ones playing football and we were the more dominant side.
“They scored their goals well, however we were the more dominant and deserved at least a point if not more. Gutted to lose but pleased with the performance.
“A couple of weeks ago we played against Penn and we played rubbish and we won 3-1. Against Woodley we played really well, deserved to win but lost so that happens.”
Before a minute was even on the clock, Woodley had taken the lead. A cross from the right was headed out to Jewell just outside the box and the leftback’s volley flew past young goalkeeper Owen Holland.
Max Laschok and Toby Briggs both went close to adding a second before Wokingham began to grow into the contest.
A mistake from Hamilton Bowler allowed Jake White in and he teed up strike partner Day, but goalkeeper Tom Bryant made a fabulous stop.
However, Day would beat Bryant just minutes later, latching onto Harris’ pass to fire a stunning volley past the stranded keeper.
Woodley responded and got themselves back in front by the break. Laschok saw a shot initially saved by Holland, who was playing due to a broken finger suffered by first choice Sean Woodward during a recent Sunday League game, but Guze was on hand to turn in the rebound.
Holland was called into a smart stop soon after the restart to deny Pablo Fernandez while Jewell also shot wide.
At the other end the Sumas had a shot cleared off the line before they equalised again when Harris’ shot found its way in.
Back came Woodley, going agonisingly close to retaking the lead instantly when Laschok went in on goal but captain Will Day produced a miraculous goal-line clearance.
Striker Laschok was then denied a big shout for a penalty after going down under Dan Carter challenge, a decision which sparked a crazy final 10 minutes.
Wokingham were carving out the bigger opportunities with substitute Elliott Rushforth pulling the strings, teeing up White, who headed two great chances wide while Harris missed the best opening, blazing off target from deep inside the box.
And it would be Woodley who snatched the winning goal as substitute Thomas fired a dipping effort over Holland and into the far corner.
“By the end of the game we had four forwards on the pitch and we were drawing,” said Bateman.
“We went there to win. We were in full control of it, we tried to get the winner and ultimately we took one chance too many, which has ended up with us losing.
“But that’s the way we’ve always done it, it’s the way that I do it, I want to come and win games.
“The game was open, we could’ve shut it down and tried to close the game out with a 2-2 but the game was there for the taking and we deserved to get it.”
See page 54 for our interview with Woodley boss Jon Laugharne.
WOODLEY: Bryant, Malone, Bowler, Barnard, Jewell (Hagger), Barron, R. Thomas, Guze, Fernandez (T. Thomas), Briggs (Hawkins), Laschok. Sub not used: Axton-Hall
SUMAS: O. Holland, Carter, Cummuskey, Marsh, Dean (Clark), W. Day (c), Harris, Bateman, Broadhurst (Rushforth), E. Day, White. Subs not used: Robson, Winship.
Attendance: 50