Saturday 13th November 1971
WANLESS HAT-TRICK
NORTHWOOD 5 WEMBLEY RES. 1
Northwood, who have been sweeping all before them in recent weeks, were rather apprehensive about Saturday's Middlesex League game with a team who had handed out a six-goal hiding to Rayners Lane the week before.
Woods need not have worried. They turned in another five-star performance and their front three were again unstoppable.
Barry Wanless snatched another glorious hat-trick and manager Pat Byrne is becoming pleasantly bewildered by the ruthlessness shown by the strikers who make the most of every half chance – and some near impossible ones as well.
And the mid-field players are encouraged by the fact that any chance created is being dealt with.
The Woods' goal tally now reads an incredible 34 in their last six games, and of these the striking trio of Wanless, Senior and Coburn have grabbed 31.
Northwood got just the start they needed on Saturday when Wanless swivelled round to hit a low shot hard past the keeper in only the third minute.
Wembley were hard pressed to hold the exuberant Woods and any breaks they made were confidently dealt with by the home defence, where Burt continued to take the honours.
After 20 minutes Wanless emerged from a goalmouth melee to hammer home an angled drive.
In the second half Wembley tried to get back, into the game, but the Woods were in no mood to relax and in the 70th minute Wanless completed his hat-trick.
Paddy Coburn was rewarded for his non-stop working when he grabbed his regular goal with ten minutes left,
A soft goal soon after gave Wembley some consolation but Steve Senior completed another fine performance when he scored a fine solo goal near the end.
Northwood: R. Byrne. G. Harding, P. Madigan, W. Burt, B. Taylor, B. Gould, I. Harvey, S. Pearce, S. Senior, B. Wanless, P. Coburn.
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