Northwood Res. 4  Leatherhead Res. 1

Tuesday 17th April 2012

Northwood Res.		Suburban League Chestnut Avenue, Northwood
Mitch Swain	1	Kick Off
Kevin Ayodele	2	7.45 p.m.
Ryan Phillips	3	H/T
Sam Sharples	4	1-0
Liam Fowler	5	Scorers
Louis Judge	6	Northwood
Byron Bubb	7	Ursell, Senior 2, Lee
Warren Gladdy	8
Garry Senior	9
Kyle Matthews	10
Rob Ursell	11
Kwasi Frempong (5, 46m)	12
Ryan Lee (3, 65m)	14
Harry Wright (8, 52m)	15
Myles Stephenson	16
Garry Malone	17

The Woods boosted their hopes of avoiding Suburban League relegation with this home success over Leatherhead but the main aim was giving ninety minutes to several players in need of a game. Mitch Swain, Sam Sharples, Kyle Matthews, Byron Bubb and Garry Senior all started games for the first time in a while and they all featured significantly. Rob Ursell, passing through the Country after a holiday in Las Vegas, also got a run-out; dominating proceedings in the first-half.

The heavy downpours had stopped for the start of the game and Northwood began brightly with a Byron Bubb cross forcing a Leatherhead defender to slice an attempted clearance just over his own bar, while Ursell slipped a pass through to Sharples who saw his effort saved by goalkeeper Ashley Davy.

Swain was brought into action after 13 minutes as Zak Nightingale made an attacking run and fired in a shot that the Woods 'keeper held comfortably. Two minutes later a good move saw Kevin Ayodele make strides down the right flank and then find Matthews with his centre. He skipped past the 'keeper and squared the ball into the six-yard box but the ball was cleared.

Senior had an effort straight at Davy soon after but the visitors almost took the lead on 20 minutes as a cross picked out Ricardo Fraser and he has his header beat Swain but crash back off the crossbar. The ball rebounded to the edge of the box where another header was steered straight at Swain. Ursell then brought his own brand of football to the fore after 27 minutes to give the Woods the lead as he skipped and dragged the ball back past two defenders before firing a shot across the 'keeper and inside the far post.

The game exploded after 36 minutes though as a challenge by Fraser on Gladdy resulted in a caution and this led to some dissenting words by the Leatherhead skipper Cley Hawkley. After receiving his yellow card he clapped the decision in a sarcastic fashion and the referee responded with a further caution leading to a red card that left the visitors with ten men.

Just four minutes later, another poor challenge by Nathan Oliver left Sharples prone on the floor but not prone enough to stop him jumping up thirty seconds later with an aggressive reaction and that was enough to receive a straight red from the Referee. Back to ten-a-side but not for long as Fraser than dived in again unwisely for another challenge and Leatherhead were down to nine men for the whole of the second-half.

The visitors came out for the second period with a plan of defending deep and relying on a quick counter attack with the pacy Joseph Coker up front on his own. Late arrival Kwasi Frempong replaced Liam Fowler at the break, playing in central defence and it was Leatherhead that got the first effort in as Paris Downes tested Swain with a free-kick which he held onto well. Soon after Swain was in action again to push a spectacular overhead-kick up and away but it was dropping in when Ryan Phillips cleared off the line.

Highly-regarded youngster Harry Wright replaced Gladdy after 52 minutes and he started to make inroads down the left, looping in a cross for Ayodele but the defender had a rush of blood to the head, blasting miles over the bar. Matthews was next to put in a good cross but it eluded Senior and a defender just cleared the danger for a corner. From that, Ursell knocked in an accurate cross and Senior strode in for a header which went straight to Davy in goal.

But the second goal did arrive after 62 minutes with Ayodele battling past two defenders on the right and knocking in a near-post cross. The ball appeared to have escaped Senior but it ran kindly for him and he was able to turn on it and fire home from close-range. Ryan Lee came on for Phillips for the Woods’ final substitution of the night and almost immediately Matthews was denied by the crossbar as he let fly from 35 yards but saw his effort crash back into the path of Ayodele who netted but was ruled offside.

Another good strike by Matthews was pushed out by Davy after 72 minutes as Northwood continued to have a stranglehold on the match and then Senior was put through on goal but only chipped tamely into Davy’s hands. Bubb was having a quiet game, but four minutes later he broke through the Tanners defensive ranks and looked sure to score but Davy dived and just managed to deflect the ball wide for a corner.

But Leatherhead still showed good spirit and after 78 minutes they clawed a goal back as Oliver hit an accurate low drive from 20 yards which arrowed into the bottom corner and beyond the dive of Swain. Thankfully there was no panic and the Woods restored their two-goal advantage five minutes later. Senior broke through but saw his effort pushed away by Davy and Wright’s follow-up shot was cleared off the line but it was third time lucky as Senior squeezed another shot past the ‘keeper from a tight angle.

Just two minutes later, it was 4-1 and game over as another break from Bubb led to a ball to Lee in space and he drilled a shot that gave Davy no chance.  

Report: ALAN EVANS