Woodlands is never an easy place to go especially when there is something riding on the result. They have a very dogged nature on their home turf and don’t roll over easy. The B&A boys needed to get back to winning ways after a limp performance the previous week against current league Champs Southborough.
There were changes to the starting XI with Junior taking back the number 2 shirt, Dan Harrison returning in goal, Luke Leppard coming in at right mid and a rare spot at left back for Stan Bowles. Pat, Zac and Gandhi lined up on the bench ready to be tagged in.
On an untrue surface there was a taste of things to come in the opening seconds when the normally reliable Huffers miss kicked a routine clearance fortunately at no cost as he quickly recovered and played the ball back. It was a tense opening 15 minutes with B&A looking to threaten but nothing quite coming off, soon after Huffers and Bish settled things at the back and looked untroubled. Hobbit started to make some intelligent runs across the Woodlands back four and Bert was his usual tenacious self. After a slick move down the right Bert picked out Hobbit who, after two bites of the cherry squeezed the ball home to open the scoring. But rather than settling the nerves and the flood gates opening Woodlands took impetus from the goal and started to poor forward, their quick right midfielder being the most common cause of the danger. Daz had to be alert in the sticks to make a couple of smart saves and preserve the slender lead. As the half ticked on there were some half chances for the Black & Red but nothing clear cut until from a corner the ball fell to Hamish almost under the crossbar but instead of poking it in he managed to miss the target. But that was soon forgotten when minutes later Hobbit slipped in Baggo who ran clear and again at the second time of asking managed to force the ball home to give the travelling army a 2-0 half time lead. The second half was a strange affair, for the most part Woodlands weren’t threatening but things failed to happen in the final third for Blackham. The possession was dominant and at times considering the surface the football was good. But Woodlands refused roll over and die. Midway through the half they got a hold of the game and a well worked move led to a goal and all of a sudden it was game on. Zac and Pat were introduced in place of Baggo and Hamish.
There was a tense end to the game, Huffers, Bish and Daz having to marshal the back line against a couple of Woodlands attacks and last minute corners. It certainly wasn’t one for the neutrals but a decent hard fought away win and a step closer to the prize. The Woodlands boys will no doubt be proud of their efforts and I’m sure the nobby number 8 will be telling his mum how he stood up to the Big Bully from Blackham. High Brooms Casuals away next week, another tough game.
