Unbeaten Wokingham & Emmbrook carried on their unbeaten league form to record another impressive victory to keep them at the summit of the Hellenic League Division 1 East.
The Satsumas swept aside ‘Wokingham Borough’ neighbours Woodley United, leading three-nil at the break and scoring a second half fourth which afforded them the luxury of a missed penalty against opposition who battled to the very end of this local derby.
Missing key players due to COVID-19 related issues, Dan Bateman and Matt Eggleston’s side were clinical in a first half which they dominated. Sumas skipper Liam Eagle saw his header well kept out by Perry Howard in the Woodley goal, but a clumsy foul in the box on Jake White by Pele Hagger saw the Wokingham man pick himself up to score from the spot inside the opening ten minutes. It was to be quite an afternoon for White who had a hat-trick to his name by half time.
Chris Byrne crashed an effort wide and Mark O’Connell’s shot at the end of a fine move curled off target before White took the game by the scruff of the neck with a quick-fire double just after the half hour to put the game past Woodley. Firstly the Sumas forward turned inside a defender to score and his third came with a near post finish after good work by Luke Scope. Liam Eagle’s volley was well saved by Howard in between times but the visitors came closest to scoring just before the interval when O’Connell had to clear from his own line following a Woodley corner.
Within three minutes of the restart White had his and his team’s fourth goal with a neat free-kick and that was to be the end of the scoring for the afternoon albeit good chances were spurned. Referee Jonathan Was awarded Wokingham a second penalty, taken this time by Nick Bateman who saw his effort clip the crossbar. Substitute Will Day saw a free-kick pushed onto the post by Howard who reacted from the rebound to deny Dan Carter with his legs.
Callum Eagle saw his cross glanced just wide by Liam Eagle as the pressure on the Woodley goal continued. Scope rounded Howard but saw his effort cleared off the line by Joe Sissons before Liam Eagle was yet again denied by Howard following a corner. Pele Hagger had an effort on goal well dealt with by Sean Woodward and the crowd of 110 had seen plenty of goalmouth incident for their money on an unusually mild and sunny December afternoon.
