Athletic entertained Rawcliffe for their first home game of the season and were again without a recognised keeper for the third successive game. This combined with a no show from the referee led to an encounter full of controversy and contentious decisions.
Woodlands started brightly playing some of their best football of the season so far in no small part down to the returning Lee Thompson who seemed to link up play effortlessly between defense and attack. With 10 minutes gone it was 1-0 when free scoring Heywood latched onto a ball from Chappell and struck it with venom passed the Rawcliffe keeper. Young replaced Evans at right wing back early on due to injury. 5 minutes later it was 2-0 when Caldwell went on a mazy run taking on3 Rawcliffe players before firing into the top corner from 20 yards out. Woodlands were dominant and forced errors from the Rawcliffe defense including an own goal for the third after a corner was punched into his own net by the keeper. It was soon four when Caldwell again broke free after some nice passing exchanges with Sharphouse and Wheldrake and scored another excellent goal this time from only 18 yards out.
The back free for Woodlands had been untroubled for the majority of the first half and it was only a controversial penalty decision made by the otherwise superb stand in ref that allowed Rawcliffe a shot on goal. Isle was helpless in goal as the Rawcliffe striker put the ball into the bottom corner.
The second half saw Woodlands manager Bottomley take the field and start a new career as a referee. A career that will be short lived if this display was anything to go by. Woodlands were slow to start and struggled to display the kind of football that had been so successful in the first half. However, they did manage to extend their lead within the first 5 minutes with an excellent goal from Thompson after a one two with Heywood on the edge of the area.
As ever Rawcliffe came back fighting and reduced the deficit almost immediately after a long ball over the top was latched onto and put past Isle, a suspicion of offside but with no linesman the referee was required to let the advantage go with the attacker. 5-2 was soon 5-3 when a strike from the edge of the area hit the back of the net.
Athletic regained their 4 goal advantage with two goals in two minutes from super sub Kerr who replaced Wheldrake. The first a header which looped over the keeper and into the net after a cross from Thompson and the second an accomplished left footed strike when through on goal after a ball from Sharphouse beat the offside trap. Kerr was also denied a hat trick when his goal was adjudged offside.
Woodlands at last began to keep possession and play football but were unable to deny the ever pressing Rawcliffe from two late goals.
7-5 an exaggerated score line due to a lack of first choice keepers and a referee who would have undoubtedly ruled out some of the opponents goals.
Man of Match was Luke Caldwell
