WOODLEY United slipped to a narrow 2-1 home defeat to Division One East leaders Risborough Rangers.

After the away side had a goal ruled out for offside inside the first two minutes, Woodley came within inches of taking an early lead when a Ben Anderson free-kick came back off the right post.

Anderson had the game’s next chance when he got on the end of a fantastic cross field pass from Teddy Thomas, but cutting in from the left, his low shot was blocked.

Fifteen minutes in the hosts took the lead. After clearing a deep Risborough free-kick, United’s counter-attack saw a good ball find Anderson, who slid Max Laschok in on goal.

Showing good composure and a tidy finish Laschok beat Jack Brooker with a low shot into the right corner from the left of the box.

The away side responded and a decent delivery from the left found Brian Haule, whose glancing header was off target.

Moments later Adam Thomson in the United goal pulled off an excellent double save to keep the score 1-0.

Half an hour on the clock saw Sam Wood clattered in the process of shooting, while an Anderson free kick went into the wall.

It was 1-1 nine minutes before the break courtesy of an excellent strike from Sam Pekun. Cutting in from the left and skipping past a challenge, the Rangers player fired an unstoppable strike into the top right corner.

The remainder of the half saw Woodley struggling to get out of their half.

Despite bossing possession, though, the nearest Risborough came to going ahead was when a clipped ball over the top by Davis Haule found Brian Haule, who showed good strength to shrug off a challenge and force another save from Thomson.

United were defending well and looking to hit their opponents on the break. An isolated Laschok did really well to gain the ball, hold off a challenge and get a shot away from 20 yards which was blocked.

Ten minutes into the second half saw a curling Ben Hammonds shot go wide of Thomson’s left post before the keeper showed a safe pair of hands to hold a shot from the right.

After a Laschok shot on the turn was saved, Rangers defender Alex Sethi got up well to head clear a lofted Anderson pass which would have seen Laschok one-on-one with Brooker.

With 19 minutes remaining saw the visitors went ahead, and once again it was a very well taken goal.

A nice pass on the right found Bertie Squire-Adams, who struck his half-volley sweetly with the ball flying past Thomson and in off the bar.

As the match entered the final ten minutes Squire-Adams was denied a second by a Thomson save in the left corner.

Woodley ended the game well with two superb Pele Hagger deliveries from the left.

The first saw Risborough captain Joel Read, who was positioned between Laschok and Anderson, head clear.

The second and final chance of the match saw a deep cross nearly find Anderson whose run from deep would have paid off if he could have got any contact on the ball.

Woodley United visit Chalvey Sports in the Banbury Litho Floodlit Cup next Tuesday (7.45pm).

AFC Aldermaston produced a rousing fightback before eventually going down 5-4 at home to Milton United in a thriller on Friday night.

Goals from Jake Steele, Matt Hardwick and Taylor Janes had the visitors leading 3-0 at the break, and the game looked dead and buried when Tom Stanley added a fourth in the 50th minute.

However, the Atom Men replied with a quickfire double of their own from substitutes Davelino Markus and Tyrese Corbin-Chandler, only for Harry Thomas to restore the three-goal advantage.

Markus added a second and Jahson Downes netted to make it 5-4, but Aldermaston – who do not have a game this week – could not quite complete the comeback.

Goals from McKoy Palmer and Mo Davies guided Reading City to a 2-0 Premier Division at Longlevens on Saturday, lifting the Citizens to fourth in the table.

However, they suffered disappointment on Monday, crashing out of the Berks & Bucks Senior Cup 5-4 on penalties at home to Aylesbury Dynamos, the two sides having earlier drawn 1-1.

Palmer was against the goalscorer for Reading City, with Simon Johnson's men hoping to return to winning ways when they host Easington Sports in the league on Saturday (3pm).