Livewire striker Scott Orphanou proved the match winner in this feisty encounter, netting a hat-trick inside fifteen first-half minutes. There was a welcome return to the side for defender Michael Peacock, who had recovered sufficiently from his neck injury sustained in a car crash and Sam Sharples returned after suspension. John Christian started his 100th match for the club, and there was also a start for Aaron Cato in place of top scorer Eugene Ofori , while Gilbert Nuako replaced the suspended Danny Power.

Some hard work throughout the morning on the boggy pitch by Ian Barry, Mark Barnham, Richard Elderfield and Charlie Phillips ensured that it was playable and the Woods enjoyed total domination of the first-half.
Christian and Gary Burrell both went close with efforts early on as Potters Bar were quickly on the backfoot and then Orphanou recorded his first effort on goal after 10 minutes with a hopeful shot on the turn which went wide.

The pressure continued with Cato making a good impression on the right, supplying a good cross which Brad Hewitt headed over after 16 minutes and just two minutes later, the Woods finally hit the target. Visiting goalkeeper Matt Bennett failed to hold a stinging shot from Sharples and Orphanou showed great reactions to pounce and knock in the loose ball.

Just five minutes later Leon Osei danced his way into the box and Orphanou latched onto his cross to sidestep his marker and slot home.  The Scholars finally recorded their first shot on goal after 28 minutes when Ellis Remy fired a shot across the face of the goal and well wide.

But it was 3-0 after 32 minutes when Orphanou completed a sublime hat-trick by catching Bennett off his line with a 35-yard drive and the visitors were faced with a mountain to climb after the break.

Potters Bar made one change at half-time, with Jordan Watson replacing James Hammond but it had little effect in the early stages. Gilbert Nuako stormed forward after 54 minutes, cutting in and setting up Osei whose shot on the turn was well saved by Bennett. Just two minutes later, Osei took charge of a free-kick and curled a shot just wide of the post.

On the hour, Remy struck the bar from a free-kick and this seemed to spur the visitors on to better things. After 61 minutes, Shane Wylie attacked with pace from the halfway line and, with the defence backing off, unleashed a shot which Bobby Smith managed to tip over the bar. The respite was short-lived, though, as the resulting corner was hooked in by Wylie with protests for pushing on Smith ignored.

Hugo Figueiredo replaced the out-of-sorts Burrell soon after but Potters Bar kept pushing forward and were rewarded with a second goal on 71 minutes when Wylie raced away again and turned provider with a cross which was converted by Remy from close-range.

Hat-trick hero Orphanou was then replaced by Ofori and the Woods appeared to have steadied things before the substitute won a penalty ten minutes from time, cutting in from the left and into the box before being tripped by Lewis Payne. With regular penalty-taker Burrell already off the field, Christian took the responsibility but instead of making the game safe, his shot crashed against the bar and over.

Still in with a chance, the Scholars threw players forward and the Woods conceded another free-kick in a dangerous central position. Again it was Remy who stepped forward for it and this time he cleverly bent the ball the other way only for the ball to hit the post, with Hewitt clearing the loose ball off the line.

That was to be the last chance for Potters Bar, who lost their discipline after that, picking up a couple more bookings and then a red card for Dan Odamo for foul and abusive language towards an assistant referee. Woods’ Dan Jones also managed to get himself booked for a similar offence while warming up as a substitute. It should be an interesting return fixture at Potters Bar next Saturday!

Report by ALAN EVANS

Photos by James Brown