The Woods finally returned to winning form with their first victory since the August Bank Holiday Monday as they swept aside Aylesbury United thanks to a superb hat-trick from striker Jermaine Osei.

Simon Lane was able to call on Michael Buckley and Harry Newman, both back from injury to give a much better balance to the side, while Lewis Hobbs was also back in the line-up after spending a week on trial at Leicester City. With Pat Kelly returning to his native America, Lewis Ochoa slotted in at right-back so youngster Wilson Chingoka was back in midfield. Aylesbury United gave a debut to the much-travelled attacker Aaron Couch as they looked to stem a recent poor run, without a league win on their travels since the same Bank Holiday Monday.

The swirling windy conditions appeared to have little impact on the game which began at a good pace with Evans Kouassi cutting in across Ryan Kinnane and seeing his strike deflected just wide of the near post by defender Jake Bewley.

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The Ducks had the wind behind them and a good run from Ben Seaton saw him get past Chingoka to shoot for goal but it was always travelling too high to threaten. Then, from a corner, it was met by a typical firm header from Alex Collard but straight at Brendan Hazlett in goal.

After 18 minutes Kouassi got some joy down the right once again and his centre had Newman stretching to connect but he was unable to get any power on his flick. Two minutes later Kouassi turned provider again with a ball to Osei and his crisp strike flew only just wide of the target.

The pressure continued as Newman played a neat ball inside for George Robinson to let fly with a right-foot strike that crept just over the bar and the Woods were soon rewarded with the opening goal a minute later. It was Tayshan Hayden-Smith who produced a well-flighted ball into the box and Osei met it with a neat glancing header that flew past goalkeeper Jack Sillitoe and inside the far post.

Three minutes later Northwood should have doubled their lead as Kouassi seized on a mistake in midfield to roll in Newman and his shot beat Sillitoe but came back off the post.

Aylesbury responded well though and enjoyed their best spell soon after this. Young striker Tyriq Hunte had a shot deflected over before a deep cross from Bewley was headed down by Jack Wood to Couch and his strike was well saved by Hazlett.

Soon after, a long ball, saw Hobbs caught out by the wind and bounce which allowed Hunte in on goal. He chipped Hazlett well enough but his shot dropped wide of the target. Then Wood robbed Robinson of the ball and moved into the area only to be halted in his tracks as the Woods defender recovered the ball. From the resulting corner Wood was given a free header but the ball flew well over.

The first-half finished just as Osei turned provider with a ball through to Kouassi but Sillitoe was alert to the danger and was out to thwart the danger.

A couple of minutes after the restart a quick counter-attack gave the Ducks another chance with Hunte getting past Hayden-Smith on the edge of the box to fire in a shot but the Woods ‘keeper was on fine form and saved well once again.
The Woods began to play again though and Hayden-Smith saw an effort drift only just wide before a long-range strike from Buckley was an easy take for the visitors ‘keeper. But he could do nothing on 55 minutes as Robinson seized on a loose ball to thread a good pass through to Osei who rode a challenge from Kinnane and then slotted past Sillitoe for his second goal.

After Kouassi had only found the side-netting again with a shot, Couch hit a crisp shot that Hazlett pushed wide and after that the fight appeared to go out of the visitors.

After 65 minutes a cut back from Kouassi found Osei who poked a shot through defenders that had Sillitoe scrambling across and doing well to keep it out with the loose ball cleared as substitute Mahlondo Martin closed in.

It was on 71 minutes that the Woods wrapped up the victory as Osei impressed again with his cool finishing, racing through the middle and getting past the challenge of Ollie Hogg to steer a shot inside the post once again and complete an excellent hat-trick.

The Woods were happy to defend their lead from then but Aylesbury did show good spirit to battle on to the end with substitute Lea Coulter forcing Hazlett into a save low down while a late cross cum shot from Wood also saw the Woods ‘keeper touch the ball over the crossbar to be safe.