Alfredian Park | Attendance: 100
Wantage Town turned on the style at Alfredian Park with an emphatic 8–1 victory over Woodford United in a game that showcased attacking football, clinical finishing, and two memorable individual performances.
The hosts were out of the blocks quickly and established control early on. By half-time, Wantage had built a commanding 4–0 lead, thanks to sharp movement and ruthless use of possession. Josh Davis led the way in the opening period, helping himself to two goals before the interval and setting the tone for the afternoon.
The second half followed a similar pattern, with Wantage continuing to press forward. Luke Whelan took centre stage after the break, completing a superb hat-trick, while Davis added his third to claim one of two match balls on the day. Michael Miller also found the net twice, and Thomas Rees added another as the goals continued to flow.
Woodford United’s task became even tougher when they were reduced to ten men, and to their credit they continued to compete despite the numerical disadvantage. The visitors were rewarded with a well-earned consolation goal, showing determination and spirit even as the scoreline grew.
While the final result was a heavy one, it reflected a very strong Wantage performance rather than a lack of effort from Woodford, who battled throughout under difficult circumstances.
A highly entertaining afternoon for the home support, with Wantage Town combining teamwork, tempo, and finishing to produce a performance — and scoreline — that will live long in the memory.
Hat-Trick Hero No.1: Josh Davis
Josh Davis clearly arrived at Alfredian Park in the mood for goals. Two before half-time wasn’t enough, so he added a third later on just to make sure nobody else walked off with his match ball. Constantly on the move and always asking questions of the Woodford defence, Davis turned in a performance that defenders dread and goalkeepers replay in slow motion later that evening. To top it all off, Josh posed with his best Christmas smile for the cameras when collecting the match ball!
Hat-Trick Hero No.2: Luke Whelan
Not to be outdone, Luke Whelan decided that if one Wantage player was having a hat-trick kind of day, then two definitely should. Calm, composed, and seemingly always in the right place at the right time, Whelan completed his treble with the air of someone who’d done it all before, and might have fancied a fourth if time allowed.
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