Northwood’s miserable run continued after they slipped to another defeat at the hands of Aylesbury United. Coming a couple of days after the club parted company with interim manager Jake Heracleous, a trip to the improving Ducks was always going to be tricky affair and so it proved as they had no answer to conceding two goals in three second half minutes.

Gordon Boateng, who has been assisting in recent  weeks took charge of a team which showed a number of changes from the weekend defeat at Dunstable. Joe Russell and Harry Newman returned to the starting line in the absence of Tom Gilbey and Meshach Williams, while youngster Femi Azeez was given his first start with Jermaine Osei missing through injury.

Northwood had some defending to do in the early stages as Aylesbury were quickly into their stride with Sonny French and Ben Seaton both going close before Ollie Stanbridge tried his luck with a long range shot but  goalkeeper Xavi Comas was alert to the danger.

Woods’ first attack of note saw Evans Kouassi combine well with Azeez and Andrew Camilo-Tayaca before the latter’s cross into danger area was deflected behind for a corner with no red shirt able to apply the finishing touch. Northwood began to find their rhythm and proceeded to string some decent moves together, Joe Russell testing Jack Hopwood with a firm strike which the Aylesbury ‘keeper could only parry but there was no Woods player to latch onto the loose ball.

Both sides were showing plenty of attacking intent as Seaton was the next to go close for the hosts but his close range shot was blocked by the Woods defence. At the other end, Azeez miscued when well placed after good work from Kouassi before Sam Oyeniran denied a first goal in Northwood colours as Hopwood got a faint touch to divert his goal-bound effort.

Northwood followers were beginning to get that feeling of déjà vu as the good approach work was going unrewarded  and it was the Ducks who finished the first-half in positive fashion with French going close with an audacious long range attempt while Stanbridge saw his incisive volley deflected for a corner.

The second period was slow to get going before the deadlock was broken on the hour-mark, Aaron Berry sending a flicked header beyond the reach of Comas after Woods had failed to defend from a throw-in with central defender Sam Tring waiting to return to the field of play.

And things got worse for Northwood three minutes later as they conceded again, Berry grabbing his second of the evening as he converted the loose ball after Comas had produced a fine save to keep out a long range effort.
Nebay Haile replaced Sam Oyeniran in attack as Northwood looked for a way back into the contest. And the Woods’ substitute was quickly into the action with a weaving run into the Aylesbury box which was halted by the on rushing Hopwood before the Ducks’ stopper was almost embarrassed as he fluffed an attempted clearance with Haile’s lob towards an unguarded goal bouncing agonisingly wide.

Evans Kouassi made way for Paulo Montella as Northwood continued to look for that elusive goal but the visitors never really looked like scoring in an increasingly scrappy and tetchy affair. And it was Aylesbury who went close to adding a third goal as the match moved into stoppage time, French dragging his shot wide from a good position, the last moment of note as the curtain came down on another disappointing defeat for Northwood.