by DAVID CHOPPING

WORMLEY ROVERS 0

LITTLE OAKLEY 1

Thurlow Nunn League

first division south

A 96TH-MINUTE injury-time penalty saw Oakley come away with all three points at Wormley.

However, they came at a cost.

Harry Mann rode a tackle in the area and the referee awarded a late penalty, which the striker dispatched with ease.

In a match that Oakley dominated, it took time for them to get going and the first real action after ten minutes saw a long throw by Ben Gallifant reach Luke Mayhew.

His eventual shot led to a good low save by Grundy.

In the next attack, Mann and Greg Rodger combined for Rodger to have a shot that Grundy pushed round his near post.

From the corner by Mayhew, with three Oakley players attacking the ball, Grundy did well to tip it away.

A chance on the quarter-hour for the home side saw Montello get away from the Oakley defence, sending his shot inches over from 20 yards.

Midway through the half, Thomas was late in a tackle and Oakley were awarded a free-kick central to goal.

Mark Palmer took the free-kick and with Grundy beaten, his strike hit the post.

Oakley's defence nullified any threat from the home side as Daniel Joyce was a spectator for most of the game.

The busier keeper was Grundy, keeping his side in the match.

Rodger got up well, winning a header and finding Mann, whose backheel flick released Josh Merriott.

He ran across the area but couldn't get his shot away.

The home side were becoming a bit rash with some lunging tackles and Rodger was on the end of one of them, brought down by Maybury. The tackle went unpunished.

The game should have been buried in the first half but, due to the good work of home keeper Grundy, it was all-square.

Oakley came out for the second half and really didn't learn anything from the first, with some poor decisions and passing.

The home side took advantage of this and from a corner, Ridley shot inches over.

With neither side settling down, it was midway through the second half when Merriott forced a full-length save from Grundy.

Then, two minutes later, Merriott was sent off for a rash, two-footed challenge.

The post denied Mayhew an opening goal and, with some good movement, Mann went close.

With Oakley down to ten men, Lewis Wood was brought on up front.

He combined with Mann but was closed down by the home defence and then crowded out.

With two minutes of normal time left, a loose ball saw Wood run onto it and with Grundy running out to clear both collided.

Grundy was carried off after a lengthy stoppage.

Deep into injury time, Mann, with close control, was tackled in the area and the referee awarded a penalty.

With the normal keeper off, all Mann had to do was beat centre-half Thomas, who donned the gloves.

Mann stepped up and scored and stole all three points for a happy trip home but at a cost, with several suspensions looming in the next couple of weeks.

Tomorrow sees the first team at home to Lopes Tavares (kick-off 3pm).

The reserves have no game and the A team are at home to West Bergholt Reserves (2pm).