10 Man Woodman Beaten by First Division Oakwell Motel.
A battling performance by the ten men of the Woodman Batley Carr wasn't enough to see them through into the second round of the Brook Butler cup. Having started the game with only nine men due to Neil Pickles birthday party in York the night before the Woodman arguably played the better football and frustrated their opponents who perhaps did not expect the nine men to create much in the final third.
Paul Gray came out of retirement to become the oldest player ever to play for the Woodman in goals, the manager decided that he had to pull on the jersey otherwise Woodman would have started with eight. It was the veteran who was forced into early action, rolling back the years to make an outstanding save down low to his right and tip the ball around the post, much to the disgust of the Oakwell attacker who thought he had opened the scoring.
It was the Woodman though who took the lead after 15 minutes, when late arrival James Blane ghosted past the Oakwell left back and found Andrew Pickles with a simple pass, Pickles cut inside the Centre Half before drilling into the corner past the despairing dive of the Oakwell keeper.
Woodman's ten men looked like taking their advantage into the break, and could have even extended their lead when the lively Andrew Pickles angled shot came back off the far post with the keeper well beaten. The first half though ended with an equaliser after a sustained patch of pressure from the visitors saw the ball break to their central midfield player who lined up his shot from 25 yards and found the far top corner with the aid of a modest deflection.
The second half began with disaster for the Woodman as they were reduced back to nine men after Andrew Pickles challenged the keeper for a fifty-fifty ball and went down heavily holding his right leg. A visit to the hospital confirmed everyone's worst fears and Andrew now faces a lengthy spell on the sidelines with a broken right tibia.
The home side, inspired by some dominant midfield play by Ryan Gray and Captain Matt Tate pressed forward and should have taken the lead when Blane blazed over from ten yards after having been found by Ryan Gray from the middle of the park.
Woodman's defence was ably marshalled by Andrew Walker who, for the second home game in a row, played centre half instead of in the goals where he had played previously this season. He and Gary Raine forged an excellent partnership and were supported by the two young fullback's, Tom Fletcher and Chris Rock who managed to get forward to suport as much as they could.
With Woodman struggling to make the pressure tell it was Oakwell who took the lead with a well worked goal. Having utilised their extra two men to create space down their right, Oakwell's winger was able to steady himslf and accurately pick out the forward run of the big central midfielder who beat Chris Rock to score with a diving header from 5 yards.
Still Woodman Battled hard and it wasn't until Oakwell hit with a classic counter attack which resulted in a low shot to Paul Gray's right which nestled neatley in the corner that they looked beaten.
Wodman player manager Paul Gray voiciferously commented after the game, "...I'm proud of the lads today as they gave their all, you simply cannot turn up with nine men though..."
Referee Mr A Madley awarded the man of the match to Woodman's veteran cente half, Andrew Walker who pipped Matt Tate to the award.
Everyones thoughts though were with Andrew Pickles to whom everyone associated with the Woodman Batley Carr wishes a speedy recovery.
