Penn Ink Predictable Story - Penn And Tylers Green vs. Woodley United

Bird of prey circling over French School Meadows

I've always enjoyed my visits to the small towns and villages in Buckinghamshire - Amersham Town, both Chalfont sides, Flackwell Heath - and as it looks like Spring is finally well and truly here I opted for another visit to Bucks. The game on this occasion was Penn And Tylers Green against Woodley United in The Hellenic League Division One East. As with Amesbury, I'd planned to visit Penn And Tylers a couple of times previously this season but had been defeated by the weather. Today's game was a top versus bottom match with the hosts being one of three teams at the summit with 36 points although Penn And Tylers Green had played the fewest games out of the trio. Woodley United play at Reading Town's Scours Lane ground and of course are now the only senior team playing there. I visited Scours Lane a good couple of seasons ago for an FA Vase tie between Reading Town and Larkhall.  

Kick off in rural Buckinghamshire

Penn (I can't type Penn And Tylers Green every time!) put the Woodley defence under immediate pressure and after an earlier corner is claimed, the Woodley keeper misses the next cross into the box and he is indebted to his defenders as the resulting attempt on goal is cleared off the line. The resistance is short lived as after a quick throw, the ball is crossed again in to the area and this time a towering header beats the keeper to make it one nil. Then when a Penn corner isn't fully cleared, the forward is able to get an effort in on goal which hits the post and goes in. Woodley's first attack comes when the tricky left winger is able to find space out wide but his shot is high and wide of the target. Penn come close to adding a third as a free kick from the edge of the area hits the post. Just before the break, the Woodley keeper makes a great save from an effort from a corner.  

A Penn And Tyler Green shot on goal

Penn come out looking for goals at the start of the second half but Woodley are well organised and prevent from them scoring in the opening stages of the half. It takes a neat one two to breach the defence and the forward dinks the ball past the keeper after the interchange to make it three nil. The Penn forward is then played in on goal but his weak chipped effort is easily claimed by the goalie. Then from another corner, Penn get a shot on goal which beats the keeper but not the defender on the line who hacks the ball away. In the closing stages, Penn catch Woodley out again with a quick throw but this time the effort on goal hits the post.

Woodley defend a second half attack

Tylers Green is on the edge of Wycombe and trains to Wycombe depart from Marylebone on a regular basis with the quick trains taking twenty minutes. Then from Castle Street, a short walk from the station you can catch the three hourly 31 bus to Tylers Green. The village itself perfectly reflects the rural ideal and has a brilliant selection of pubs. Furtherest away from the ground is The Horse And Jockey which has the sports channels for the early kick offs and a large beer garden. Then there is The Old Queens Head which is more of a gastropub / restaurant but did have a brilliant selection of largers. Then right next to the village green is The Red Lion which had three ales on hand pump. The ground is then a five minute walk from the village centre. The clubhouse had BT Sports on the big screen and had the usual selection of drinks.

Spring haze in the second half