While the fact that the Woods were pulled out of the hat to contest this Isthmian League Cup match was considered a blow at first, the game itself produced nothing but positives as Northwood came through unscathed and with a comfortable victory. Aaron Bufton and Aaron Cato, were given debuts while Eugene Ofori had a run-out after missing several games through suspension. The home side fielded a side hit by injuries and also gave several squad players a starting place.

Northwood started strongly with Ofori flicking on a Harry Smart chip forward into the path of Scott Orphanou, but goalkeeper Stuart Pack was out smartly to block his shot at close-range after just four minutes. Three minutes later, Hugo Figueiredo won a tackle and chipped into the box where Orphanou nodded down, and Ofori hit a first-time shot which flashed just wide of the far post. Cheshunt battled back and went close when Angus McLachlan was not far away with a long-range effort and soon after, the same player robbed Michael Peacock of the ball and laid a good pass off to Daniel Bradford, who steered a shot straight at Bufton.

Having had a let off with that one, the Woods then took the lead a minute later. A Cato cross looped up into the box and Adem Salih clearly pushed Orphanou in the back as he challenged for a header. A penalty was the result, and although Pack managed to get both hands to Orphanou’s spot-kick, he could only parry the ball in off the stanchion.

It was all one-way for the rest of the half with Anthony Page heading over an excellent cross from Danny Power and then Orphanou scooping a shot over the bar following Ofori’s header down. Page went closer still with a header from a deep Peacock free-kick and then Figueiredo latched onto another Ofori ball with a first-time volley which flashed just wide of the post. The attacks continued to the half-time whistle with another Peacock free-kick leading to a Brad Hewitt header which lacked the power to beat Pack, and then a good run from Chris Seeby led to a Cato cross and Orphanou hit his shot wide.

The second half began with Syed Sentain sending a long-range effort well over the bar for the home side but the Woods were soon back on the attack.

Figueiredo played a neat exchange of passes with Ofori before setting up Cato for a shot that found the side-netting with Pack nowhere. After 52 minutes, Power got in on the act, pushing forward to hit a good strike, which Pack pushed wide for a corner.

Ofori was rested on the hour after an excellent display of front-running and replaced by John Sonuga. Just two minutes later the Woods added the all-important second goal as Orphanou raced onto a long ball and this time steered his shot past the oncoming ‘keeper. There would be no hat-trick for the hard-working forward, though, as he was then immediately replaced by Kyle Matthews. The substitute was soon in the thick of the action as he was set up by a good through-ball from Smart but blasted his shot over the bar.

There was never any doubt that the Woods would hold on and they should have added to the scoreline in the final fifteen minutes. Page again went close with a header, this time finding the target when getting on the end of a Cato corner but seeing his effort cleared off the line by Ryan Mattos. Two minutes later it was deja-vu as first Hewitt and then Page both had headers blocked on the line and when the loose ball ran to Sonuga, his close-range shot was also somehow blocked for yet another corner.
After 81 minutes Sonuga latched onto another loose ball when Matthews saw his shot blocked but it was at the ‘keeper who saved comfortably.

Mark Burgess replaced Smart for the final fifteen minutes as the Woods shored up the midfield and the game petered out in the closing stages with Northwood going through to a home tie against Potters Bar Town in the next round.

Report by ALAN EVANS