Saturday 6th March 1976
THE WOODS FIND IT SO EASY
NORTHWOOD 5 RAYNERS LANE 1
It was all too easy for Northwood in their Middlesex League game on Saturday. They did not have to raise their game to their best form to clout visitors Rayners Lane with five goals.
Northwood were without Franklin and Mills, but with Gould and Saunders in dominating form at the back they were just too good for their sub-standard neighbours. Robin Tidd and Norman Heslop took control of the midfield, and full-backs Harman and Hammond were always overlapping as Woods turned up the pressure.
Heslop hit the inside of the post with a header before Woods took the lead in the 20th minute. Coburn received the ball from Tidd before powering past the full-back and crossing for Heslop to shoot home. Northwood followed up with a quick second goal when Gould took a 40-yard free-kick that curled over the defenders in the box – and straight into the net.
An almost identical goal just before half-time stretched the lead to 3-0 when Heslop floated the ball into the box, and McGowan got the slightest of touches to beat keeper Currell.
Rayners Lane had a strong wind at their backs in the second half, but it was still Northwood who did most of the attacking, and Currell was still in constant action. He was forced to concede a corner from McGowan’s shot, but could do nothing about Saunders’ volley from Jones’ free-kick that made it 4-0.
As the game petered out Rayners Lane began to win more of the ball, and Hennessey made it 4-1 before Gould got number five with a penalty after Shipperley brought down Jones in the box.
Northwood: Russell, Hammond, Harman, Gould, Saunders, Tidd, Heslop, Coburn, Cooper, McGowan, Jones, sub. Dibbens.
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