FOOTBALL: Woodley celebrates with a debut strike (From The Oxford Times)

FOOTBALL: Woodley celebrates with a debut strike

10:00am Monday 15th October 2012 in Football

Abingdon Utd 3

(Self 21, Woodley 40, Tucker 67)

Bridgwater Tn 1

(Veal 48)

New signing Aaron Woodley made a dream debut for Abingdon United with a goal in the win over Bridgwater Town in Evo-Stik Southern League Division 1 South & West – on his 20th birthday.

The former Oxford United forward’s strike after 40 minutes was sandwiched in between goals from Carl Self and Sam Tucker as Abingdon, who also gave a return debut to Tom Melledew, produced a powerful display.

Bridgwater started brightly and Rob Durrant had to beat away a Craig Veal shot, before Kye Mountford steered an effort inches wide.

Abingdon hit back, and Stuart Young clipped a shot just wide, before they opened the scoring on 21 minutes.

Self sprinted on to Young’s pass, before lifting the ball over Luke Purnell as he came off his line.

Within a minute, Woodley was brought down just inside the area, but Yashwa Romeo’s spot-kick was parried by Purnell, and Chris McGrath completed the clearance.

But Abingdon did double their lead five minutes before half-time when Self’s pace undid the visitors, and he slid the ball back for Romeo to set up Woodley to fire over Purnell.

However, Bridgwater pulled a goal back three minutes into the second half when Veal cracked a shot into the bottom corner.

Jon Vance’s free-kick then whizzed past an Abingdon upright, before Toby Nowell’s cross was turned home at the near post by Tucker for No 3.

Abingdon Utd: Durrant, Baker, Crudup (Whitehead 80), Carnell, Halliday, Tucker, Romeo (Biddle 65), Melledew, Woodley, Self, Young (Nowell 55). Subs not used: Evans, Riccio.

Attendance: 97.