Early Blitz and Set-Piece Efficiency Prove Decisive for Woodbank FC

Championship side Woodbank FC welcomed Dti afc to Toryglen Sports centre on Saturday as these two clubs fought tooth and nail for three points.

Woodbank must have been feeling flush as the indoor park at Toryglen is not cheap.

Woodbank FC delivered a commanding performance today, overcoming a spirited DTI side with a 5-2 victory that was built on ruthless efficiency from set-pieces in the first half and superior fitness late in the second.

From the opening whistle, Woodbank established immediate control, pinning DTI deep into their half. The early pressure paid dividends quickly, with two goals arriving inside the first ten minutes. The first stemmed from a corner kick, where Caliean reacted fastest to a rebounding ball to tap home the opener after just five minutes.

Barely five minutes later, another finely executed set piece found Aidan unmarked at the back post, who cleverly looped his header back across the goal and over the keeper to double the lead.

Despite Woodbank’s dominance in possession, DTI managed promising spells, including a dangerous header that drifted just off target. However, Woodbank’s reliance on dead-ball situations proved unstoppable. The third goal again involved Aidan at the back post; a dipping ball from another set piece was bundled into the net off his shin for 3-0, securing his brace.

Woodbank’s attacking force was not limited to corners, however. Doc added a superb fourth, showing great composure after timing a run in-behind the DTI defence. Despite protests for offside, he feigned his initial shot before calmly slotting home his second attempt. DTI finally managed to pull one back just before the break, with a well-taken free header reducing the deficit to 4-1, a scoreline which remained thanks to a crucial save by keeper Ryan.

The second half began with a far more mixed tempo. DTI, spurred on by the outstanding performance of Hugh, found several opportunities to launch sharp counter-attacks. It was Hugh himself who capitalised on a free-kick, connecting with a header that looped over the Woodbank keeper to make the score 4-2, igniting hopes of a comeback.

Any thoughts of a DTI recovery were soon extinguished as Woodbank’s conditioning began to tell. As DTI legs tired, Woodbank moved the ball with increasing fluency into high-quality areas. The decisive blow came from Darren, who found space centrally inside the box to fire a low, hard strike that put Woodbank 5-2 up and effectively ended the contest.

While Woodbank secured a well-deserved win, DTI deserves credit for a resilient display that ensured the game remained competitive and showcased decent football throughout.