ALLIEDS MATCH REPORTS 2007-08
 

NORTHWOOD YOUTH 2  HAYES & Y.U. YOUTH 1
 

Northwood Under-18s leapt above their opponents Hayes & Yeading United to take over at the top of the Premier Division on Wednesday night with a solid but unspectacular 2-1 victory.

After Monday's 4-2 defeat at Chesham, the Woods needed to bounce back if they were to remain in the title race so the three points were vital to Gez Reilly and Phil Hatcher's side.

Hayes began brightly and a ball from Ollie Fayed sent Esmond James through on goal but the striker, put under pressure by Dan Power, shot wide of the target.

After 11 minutes James showed plenty of pace as he raced past defender and goalkeeper Troy Roach. His shot was from a tight angle but still on target and Jamie Tompkins had to clear off the line.

Gradually, Northwood got a grip on the game themselves but hadn't really tested goalkeeper Matthew Faley until taking the lead three minutes before half-time.

Aryan Taj played a free-kick into the box and it dropped deep to Tyrone Durrant ,who hooked it back across the goal, and skipper Nick Glenday to sweep the ball into the roof of the net.

Dominic McAuley went close with a free-kick for the visitors five minutes into the second half and the Birch made a good save to deny James after a good run from Fayed.

But the second goal took the game away from Hayes & Yeading, with Taj curling a sublime 25-yard shot over the 'keeper and under the crossbar to make it 2-0 after 67 minutes.

Taj almost added a third soon after when a great strike flashed just over the bar, and then Jack Bennett raced onto a Taj ball before shooting across the face of the goal and just wide.

With six minutes to go, some good approach play from the visitors appeared to have been thwarted only for Power to touch the ball back into the path of substitute Daniel Wishart ,who finished clinically to raise their hopes.

But there were no further defensive lapses and the Woods clung on to the three valuable points.