Dock came away from Woodchurch with all three points in a hard fought game, thanks to goals from Ian McGraa and a Chris Barrow (pictured left) double.
The game was played out on a sticky pitch, which both teams found hard to master, and as such, there was little by the way of any flowing or quality passing football.
With heavy tackles going in from both teams, the referee did well to keep a lid on what was fast becoming an attritional derby game.
Woodchurch had the better of the chances, but Martyn Stevenson in the Dock goal was equal to anything the home side threw at him.
From Dock’s best move of the half, they took the lead just before the half-time break. The ball was shifted from the back and through midfield up Dock’s right flank and Paul Ryan’s cross was finished expertly by Ian McGraa, who nipped in front of his marker to steer the ball into the bottom corner of the net.
HT: Woodchurch Utd 0-1 Dock.
Dock pressed early in the second half, and doubled their advantage on 48 minutes, when Woodchurch gave away a free kick some 30 yards out. Mark Head’s pinpoint cross was met by Chris Barrow, who jumped head and shoulders above the defenders to power his header into the back of the net.
Woodchurch then rallied and Dock had to withstand some heavy pressure, but the back four, marshaled superbly by Ian Irving and Shaun Crotty repelled anything that Woodchurch threw at them.
Chris Barrow helped himself to his second of the day when he beat the offside trap and had a clear run on goal from 40 yards out in the 80th minute. He slotted home superbly after drawing the ‘keeper from his line.
Woodchurch were gifted a consolation two minutes later when an innocuous shot bobbled just before Martyn Stevenson and crept over the line……..a goal very similar to Stan Collymore’s at Blackburn Rovers!!
Dock had even more chances to extend their lead, notably efforts from Tom Charters and Luke Hughes (pictured below), but they were unable to convert.
It was a good team performance in tricky conditions, with Mark Head, Chris Barrow and Steve Owen putting in sterling work. There were also good contributions from substitutes John Clampitt and Matty Carlin when they were introduced in the second half.
FT: Woodchurch Utd 1-3 Dock.
Dock. 4-4-2 (with substitues in brackets).
Stevenson, Head, Wingfield (Clampitt), Irving, Crotty, Hughes, Charters, Ryan (Craven), Owen, I. McGraa (Carlin), Barrow.
Report: Peter Warburton
Pictures: Chris Stading
