Northwood extended their unbeaten league run to four games as they shared six goals with Great Wakering on an evening of high drama at Chestnut Avenue. Having to play the last half-hour with ten men after the dismissal of Gilbert Nuako, Woods deservedly took the lead only to concede an equaliser in stoppage time at the end of a pulsating match.

Northwood went into the game unchanged following the excellent win at Concord on the Saturday, and they were confident of securing a fourth win in succession against a team above them in the table but having played five extra games. Things didn’t go to plan in a patchy opening to the game, with both teams struggling to find their rhythm. However, there was a early opportunity for Scott Orphanou after a miscued defensive clearance, but he snatched at his close-range shot and dragged the ball wide.

Woods gradually began to settle and Chris Seeby’s ball found Leon Osei, who turned smartly on the edge of the box and sent in a crisp shot which was saved by Rovers’ goalkeeper Louis Godwin-Green.
Rovers’ were seeing their fair share of the ball and they caused a scare in the Northwood box as ‘keeper Bobby Smith parried Neil Richmond’s corner but Ben Hudson was unable to keep his shot down.

The match was beginning to open up, and Aaron Cato almost broke clear of the Great Wakering defence but his hurried shot failed to test Godwin-Green, whilst at the other end Stuart Judd shot wide of the target after a goalmouth scramble. The deadlock was finally after the Northwood defence failed to clear their lines, Rovers’ skipper Dan Trenkel heading the ball home to give his side the lead on 33 minutes.
Woods looked to restore the balance before the break and they succeeded as the unfortunate Godwin-Green fumbled a speculative shot from Osei to restore parity on 44 minutes.

There was still time for plenty of drama before the half-time whistle sounded. Hudson immediately found himself clear of the Woods’ defence and slotted the ball past Smith to restore Rovers’ lead in the 45th minute, before good work from Danny Power led to John Christian shooting through a sea of legs to draw Northwood level once again two minutes into stoppage time, to complete a breathless passage of play.

Woods were forced into a change at the break with Brad Hewitt having to make way through injury. Substitute Eugene Ofori joined the attack with Orphanou switching to a wide position, Seeby moving into central defence and Power slotting in at right-back.

Both sides looked keen to regain the advantage, and after Woods had withstood some early Rovers’ pressure they broke quickly through Cato who found Osei in a good position, but the latter shot over the bar with his weaker right foot.

The match exploded into controversy on 58 minutes as Woods were reduced to ten men following the sending off of Nuako. The game was becoming increasingly feisty as Nuako and Hudson challenged for the ball with the latter coming of worse in the tackle. There might have been slight indiscretion on both sides and a yellow card apiece would have sufficed but the referee showed red to Nuako and yellow to Hudson.

Northwood readjusted by adding John Sonuga to the defence and sacrificing Cato. Woods rolled up their sleeves and were taking the game to Rovers, who appeared more affected by the sending-off and Northwood deservedly took the lead on 67 minutes, when Godwin-Green could only parry Seeby’s shot and Orphanou was on hand to sweep the loose ball home.

Woods continued to look the more dangerous with Ofori twice going close to extending the lead. The match was becomingly increasingly tense with a rash of bookings on both sides, whilst Ofori was replaced by Anton Lewis for the closing minutes.

Northwood were edging closer to a well deserved, brave win but the they were undone as the game moved into the third minute of the extended stoppage time caused by all the drama, Adam Bailey-Dennis shooting home from the edge of the box to ensure that honours were even, bringing the curtain down on a lively encounter.

Report by ROBIN PIPER