Northwood made it three wins back-to-back for the first time this season with just their third away win of the season at play-off seeking Middlesex rivals Hanwell Town. It was the Woods’ first League visit to Reynolds Field since 1991, the season that they won the London Spartan League championship and Mark Burgess’s side were also looking to avenge a 1-3 home defeat suffered at Chestnut Avenue back in late September.

The Manager, who along with twin brother James, was looking to celebrate his 38th birthday weekend, named an unchanged starting line up so the only additions were with Mark Burgess and Perry Dicker returning after suspensions to take up a place on the subs bench. The home side were weakened by the suspensions of left-sided players Kyle Watson and Emmanuel Otira, both sent-off two weeks earlier, while midfield regular Michael Buckley was ruled out with illness.

It looked like a feisty encounter from the start but it was Northwood who were making the more decisive forward moves and after 13 minutes the first effort on goal came when Rob Hastings made inroads down the right and crossed to Michael Murray whose shot was deflected wide of the post. But it was Hanwell who forced the first save of the game on 22 minutes as Connor Duffy was allowed to cut in from the right and find some space to shoot. The ball was blocked but ran to Ian Bywater and Berkley Laurencin had to be sharp to dive to his right and claim a good save.

A minute later the Woods were almost ahead as Murray played a great ball through the defence for Hastings to race onto and although he beat goalkeeper Alex Tokarczyk with his low strike, the ball struck the far post and was cleared. Then on 26 minutes, the Woods were awarded a soft free-kick just outside the box for a shirt-pull and Murray chose that moment to find his range from a trademark free-kick, lifting the ball over the wall and down with pace to give Tokarczyk no chance. It put Murray onto double figures for the season.

Within the next four minutes, the game swung even further the way of the visitors. Firstly, a rash tackle by Tom Duffy out wide on Andy Lomas produced a red card after some deliberation by the Referee. Then, Niko Muir twisted and turned to find space on the edge of the box before curling a superb shot in off the far post that gave the keeper no chance. It was his eighth goal in twelve games since returning to the club.

Hanwell regrouped after this and restricted the Woods to just one shot from Murray that Tokarczyk saved comfortably and then, just before the break, they almost pulled a goal back. Bill Healey had been booked for simulation just a minute or so earlier but then was put through on goal and the usually sure-footed striker saw his first effort well blocked by Laurencin before slicing the loose ball well wide.

Dave Lawrence had picked up a yellow card in the first half and was replaced by Jordan Lawal – who was in need of a run-out – for the second period, but this gave the Woods less of an attacking threat from the midfield area. Despite being a man down, Hanwell battled hard and created the first chance of the second-half when Billy Adcock fired across goal but well wide on 56 minutes.

Northwood generally seemed happy to sit back and try to catch the stretched home side on the break but after 65 minutes Healey went down in the box under a defensive challenge and there would have been some relief as penalty appeals were waved away by the Referee. Substitutions were made by both sides and Hanwell’s Eoin Casey headed a Connor Duffy cross over the top as the home side continued to strive for a way back into the game.

Finally, the Woods began to threaten again in the final fifteen minutes. Muir pounced on a loose ball and squared to substitute Joakim Ehui who took it past the keeper, only to see his goalbound shot cleared off the line by the outstretched foot of Oliver Duffy. Then Ehui cut in from the left and crossed for Muir to allow it to run to Murray whose crisp strike flew just over the bar.

After 83 minutes Hastings was through on goal again and he took an early shot that Tokarczyk held onto at the second attempt and then a long run down the left from Lomas was only blocked at the near-post by a lunge from Oliver Duffy. With time ticking on Ehui again showed good pace and a similar ball saw Muir dummy to allow Hastings a clear sight of goal but he blasted well over the bar.

It hadn’t been Healey’s day and he again failed to hit the target in stoppage-time, but overall Hanwell will have been pleased with their performance against the odds in the second half. For the Woods, it is just one defeat in ten matches now and a rise up to eighth place in the table before a tough home game against Barton Rovers on Tuesday night. Three previous encounters against the Bedfordshire side this season have failed to produce a Woods win and they will be determined to end that trend this time around.