Kingstonian Veterans 7  Northwood Veteranss 2

Wednesday 23rd November 2011

Northwood Vets		Isthmian Veterans Cup Wibbandune Sports Ground W Wimbledon
Danny Williams	1	Kick Off
Dave Nolan	2	7.30 p.m.
Gary Williams	3	H/T
Jon Pettifer	4	1-3
Scott Patmore	5	Attendance
Rene Street	6	0
Dave Richards	7	Scorers
Andy Cook	8	Northwood
Kevin Cooper	9	Richards 38, 87
Richard McDonagh	10
Danny Yeoman	11
		Kingstonian
Roger Jashek	12	Akuamoah 11, 28, Reid 18, 52, 70, Wingfield 60, Leworthy 78
-	14
-	15
-	16
-	17
Kingstonian Vets
Phil Wingfield	1
Mark Dunne	2
Jeremy Jones	3
Matt Elverson	4
Mark Thomas	5
Julian Sills	6
Scott Corbett	7
Richard Thompson	8
Tony Reid	9
Conrad Kane	10
Eddie Akuamoah	11
Dave Leworthy	12
Steve Darlington	14
-	15
Anthony Hayward	16
-	17

Holders Kingstonian proved too strong for another makeshift Northwood Vets side that have never travelled well in this competition and are still looking for an away win after five seasons! With the usual handful of players dropping out of the squad late on, the club were grateful to former reserve player Scott Patmore for coming along at the last minute, together with Roger Jashek who at least gave the Woods an additional substitute to give someone a breather now and again!  There were first Vets appearances for Jon Pettifer, Rene Street, Danny Yeoman, Kevin Cooper and Dave Richards but with Ken Lavender ruled out due to a hand injury, defender Danny Williams volunteered to take his place between the sticks.

To be fair, Kingstonian also had ‘keeper problems and Phil Wingfield deputised there for the first half, and the game started at quite a pace. Patmore went close with a shot over the bar in just the second minute and Richards flashed another just wide soon after but Kingstonian took the lead after just 11 minutes when some decisive passing on the edge of the box put Eddie Akuamoah in and he made no mistake. The Woods were still considering how to reshuffle their defence when they conceded a second goal after 18 minutes as the speedy Tony Reid raced through to score easily.

Northwood rallied with former reserve striker Richards looking the most likely to score and his first-time shot, following good work by Cooper, flashed only just over the bar. The K’s then found another gear and Julian Sills was denied by a good save from Williams after 22 minutes before Akuamoah hit the crossbar with another good strike three minutes later. Nolan was now filling in as sweeper to add a bit of pace to the centre, but it was his defensive slip that allowed Akuamoah, who once scored twice at Wembley to win the FA Trophy for Kingstonian just over ten years ago, to score his second and his side’s third.

Northwood needed a lift after that and it came on 38 minutes when they at last put together a swift counter-attacking move. Andy Cook played the ball out to Yeoman on the right and his run and accurate cross was met by Richards who headed home. Just four minutes later there was almost a second, as a similar move had Richard McDonagh coming in for a shot but he had to stretch and was unlucky when his effort steered only just wide of the post. There was still time for Kingstonian to go close again and this time it was Conrad Kane who let fly with a shot but Williams was beginning to get to grips with this goalkeeping lark by now and he got down low to turn the ball round the post.

Wingfield left his own post in goal for the second half and he was the main attacking threat for Kingstonian in the early stages of the second-half but Williams denied him twice before the K’s did net a killer fourth goal after 52 minutes. It was a long-ball that did the damage as Reid raced through again, though it looked as though Williams had kept him out too, but he recovered to find the net from the rebound despite an acute angle. On the hour, Wingfield got his head to a Richard Thompson cross to make it 5-1, and it was just damage limitation for the Woods after that.

Ten minutes later, Thompson was adjudged to have been tripped by Street in the box for a rather harsh penalty and Reid netted from the spot to complete his hat-trick. Northwood rallied though and Street could have made amends when getting his head to a McDonagh free-kick but he cleared the crossbar. Kingstonian had the luxury of introducing former star striker Dave Leworthy as a substitute, and Williams would be pleased to deny the one-time Tottenham man with a fine save, pushing his shot over the bar.

Then, after 75 minutes, Cooper went on a mazy dribble past a couple of challenges before being felled in the area. Richards was the chosen penalty-taker but, though he sent the keeper the wrong way, the ball slid wide of the post. Just two minutes later, Cooper found another path into the box but saw his shot saved and though Patmore was first to the loose ball, he put his shot wide.

It was after 78 minutes that Kingstonian notched their seventh and final goal. Steve Darlington found space to attack down the right and his square-ball was neatly tucked away by Leworthy. But Northwood battled through to the end and they were rewarded with a second consolation goal after 87 minutes. Yeoman was the provider again with a burst from midfield and he fed Richards who hit a near first-time chip that neatly lobbed the ‘keeper.

The Woods will be hoping for a home draw next year!