Report by ALAN EVANS

The Woods made it three games unbeaten and picked up their first-ever away win in the Combined Counties League game at fellow strugglers North Leigh, but they had to do it the hard way, playing with ten men for over an hour.

New boss Scott Patmore, in only his second game in charge, had to cope without two players called away for international duty as Kieran Lake-Bryan and Kayne Connor started their preparation to play in four Nations League games for Anguilla. It meant that there were two more new signings in for their debut, with Jonathan Moura and Ilyas Khader both included in the starting line-up. Former Woods Under 18s striker Rowan Daly also started for the first time at a senior level.

The home side went into the match having failed to score in all of their four previous home league fixtures though only conceding five, picking up just one point in a 0-0 draw against bottom side Holyport and hadn’t scored a goal in their last eight matches in all competitions.

Northwood started off kicking up the slope and after just three minutes, Mark Osei found some space in the box but slotted his shot wide of the far post. The home side hit back with a couple of efforts, one of which deflected through to Woods goalkeeper Finn Rushton but the other flew well wide.

There was a blow to the visitors’ defence, though, when Adeyemi Adewale picked up an injury when stretching to make a tackle and limped off after just 11 minutes, to be replaced by Freddie Greenstreet who took over at left-back with Kevin Mustali switching sides.

Just two minutes later Parris Mason played an excellent ball through to Osei who beat his man but saw his shot well saved by Tom Russell in goal. Three minutes later the Woods should have been in front. Both Mason and Daly had efforts blocked but the ball ran through to Arnold Mengi in front of goal. He stabbed his effort forward from close range but Russell managed to keep it out.

Things took a turn on 27 minutes when the referee was called over by his assistant who had spotted a misdemeanour from Daly who had kicked out at a defender and was subsequently shown a straight red card, leaving Northwood without a central forward and a man down. The pack was reshuffled yet again with an emphasis on getting to the break without conceding, and it seemed to work as North Leigh were unable to find their way into the final third much, a long-range effort that flew over on 41 minutes the nearest they got.

A minute later, a good ball from Mengi found Osei out wide on the right. His cross was blocked and it almost fell to Khader but the keeper just managed to grab the loose ball before any shot. Half-time was approaching when Mengi went on an interesting run through the middle, riding a series of tackles and making his way into the box but he eventually lost control before he could get a shot on goal.
Rushton was finally tested by a shot from Steve Woodhouse but it was a comfortable save and it remained goalless at the interval.

The ten men started the second half pretty well and Khader went close to a debut goal as he let fly with an effort on 50 minutes but Russell did well to get a fist to the shot and then collect the rebound up high. But the all-important opening goal did come Northwood’s way after 57 minutes. Khader started the move with a shot which was blocked but Mason retrieved the loose ball, rolled it neatly to Mengi just outside the area and he drilled a shot into the bottom corner for his first goal for the club.

The Woods continued to press and another run and cross from Khader was just turned over the bar by a home defender with the corner causing a few problems before it was eventually cleared but North Leigh did begin to threaten and after Mason had picked up a yellow card for a foul just outside the box, Keyaan Adediran got his free-kick up and over the wall, forcing Rushton into an excellent save, fisting the ball away from danger.

Skipper Johnny Wilson skied an effort when a corner dropped to him at the far post but time was ticking on and the Woods made only their second substitution on 76 minutes when Osei was replaced with the fresh legs of Lucas Da Silva Luz. Ronny Mfinda came on for the yellow-carded Khader four minutes later.

On 83 minutes Da Silva Luz was put through on goal by a lovely ball from Moura but with a couple of teammates in support, he took the option of shooting and hit it low but wide of the far post. It was a missed chance to put the game to bed and two minutes later the home side had an opportunity to level as Awadh Awadh got on the end of a deep cross but put his header over the bar.

The final five minutes were added to by four minutes of stoppage time but the Woods held on strongly to their narrow advantage and ended their own run of just two points from seven league matches with this much-needed victory.

Midweek sees a break from the league campaign with a County Cup match at Harrow Borough before returning to the main object next Saturday as they travel again, this time to Wokingham Town.

Photos by GLENN ALCOCK of North Leigh FC

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• 97.jpg
  Pre-Match huddle at North Leigh
• 3.jpg
  Keeper Finn Rushton clears the ball
• 4.jpg
  Ilyas Khader gets a tackle in
• 7.jpg
  Johnny Wilson blocks an attacker
• 92.jpg
  Kevin Mustali stretches for the ball
• 2.jpg
  Arnold Mengi gets into the box
• 98.jpg
  Rowan Daly challenges the keeper
• 94.jpg
  Mark Osei going uphill
• 99.jpg
  Rowan Daly on the charge
• 6.jpg
  Ilyas Khader takes on his marker
• 96.jpg
  Parris Mason on the run
• 8.jpg
  Johnny Wilson shoots for goal
• 5.jpg
  Ilyas Khader gets pulled back
• 9.jpg
  Keeper stretches with Freddie Greenstreet looking for a header
• 91.jpg
  Kevin Mustali sends over a cross
• 93.jpg
  Lewis Buamah on the ball
• 95.jpg
  Parris Mason drives through the middle
• 1.jpg
  Arnold Mengi drills his shot for the winner