Opponents Marlow United have had an excellent season and look likely to win the Thames Valley Premier having already beaten rivals Reading YMCA twice, including once in a cup match. This was always going to be a highly competitive match and the wintry windy conditions added to the difficulty.
Surprisingly, manager Damien Marshall opted for a number of changes to the team that had won at Burnham on Monday night. With Andrés Rodriguez back in Spain and Dave Stevens unavailable, both Adam Cashin-Murray and Adam Bygrave were back in the starting line up in midfield. Timon Douglin replaced Gary Smith at centre back, alongside Stuart Doe and George Dallarda was preferred to Tafari Downes on the wing in a 4:3:3 formation. The wing forwards were also changed round with Doug Groves on the right and Dallarda on the left.
Initially, the changes seemed positive with Cashin-Murray looking lively behind Steve Campbell. An early corner led to an opening goal for the away team. Groves swung it in with his left, Bygrave nodded on and Dallarda did well to turn it back from the goal line for Campbell to poke home from short range on eight minutes
This was followed by Jordan Goddard’s free kick into the penalty area being headed across the face of the United goal and scrambled clear for a corner.
Marlow reacted positively but struggled to cope with the blustery wind, often over hitting the final pass. Then, in the 37th minute, an innocuous throw in from the left led to an equaliser. With the ball seemingly headed towards the keeper, Doe left the ball rather than heading clear and the lively Wes Sutherland nipped in and toe poked around Dan Smith.
With the Woodley defence looking less assured than recent weeks, and a number of silly free kicks being given away, it was not a great surprise when Marlow took the lead. With the last action of the half, a free kick was swung in and the ball evaded all the defenders falling at the feet of an unmarked Ollie Flint who smashed past Smith, despite the keeper getting a big hand on it.
The second half saw further changes for Woodley with Doe swapped for Gary Smith and Bygrave moving to the back four, leaving Douglin with a midfield role. The two new centre backs were greeted by a wave of attacks at the start of the half, with the offside trap being beaten on several occasions. Dan Smith had to be at his very best to cope, getting a strong hand to a shot to turn it wide of his right hand post then, minutes later, diving at the feet of the centre forward when he was one on one and forcing a corner.
In between, Woodley came close when a Marlow defender headed firmly against his own post following another dangerous corner.
Most of the goal mouth action of the half was played out in that frantic opening ten minutes and then the game settled down with Marlow seeing most of the ball and preventing Woodley from playing their passing football. Marshall continued to ring the changes, replacing skipper Alleyne with Seun Odusanya, moving to a 4:4:2 then, with ten minutes left, switching Groves with Tafari Downes.
Despite no lack of effort, an equaliser never looked likely. Then the result was effectively settled when substitute Odusanya was shown a red card for what appeared to be an innocuous challenge for the ball in the Marlow half. The referee must have seen something that no one else appeared to see, gesturing to indicate that there had been an elbow used. Since play had continued and there was no Marlow player injured or hurt, the alleged elbow must have missed its target.
Despite applying some late pressure, Town couldn't get a decent shot at goal and the match ended with a 2-1 score line.
The sending off was a disappointing distraction for a competitive match which was played in the right spirit by both sides. Marlow United were the better side on the day and deserved to progress to the Cup semi-final.
D. Smith, Malone, Goddard, Doe (G. Smith), Douglin, Bygrave, Dallarda, Cashin-Murray, Campbell, Alleyne) (Odusanya), Groves (Downes) Unused subs: Barham, Brown