ALLIEDS MATCH REPORTS 2007-08
 

NORTHWOOD YOUTH 2  NORTH GREENFORD UNITED YOUTH 1
 

Northwood kept their Allied Counties League title hopes alive with this narrow victory over bottom club North Greenford, but the visitors gave them some early scares with a couple of chances.

The Woods created a good opening on 12 minutes when Jack Bennett’s cross from the wing was met by Chris Michael, whose effort was just wide. Soon after, a ball in from Aidan Lynam was met by Michael, and his lobbed effort evaded the keeper, but also the far post..

Lynam had a chance to open the scoring midway through the first period when he was one-on-one with the keeper, who easily collected a poor shot.

With a half-hour gone, Scott Purdue won a free-kick which Bennett took quickly, but he saw his shot just skim the post. Then the home side put together a good move, involving Bennett, Hatcher and Purdue, and O’Meara was unlucky not to capitalise.

Woods continued to press, with Glenday and O’Meara having headers saved, and they finally took a deserved lead a minute before the break. Bennett sent in a free-kick and Chris Michael’s header was well placed past the Greenford number one.

Good work from Bennett early in the second period saw Lynam shoot just past a post, but Northwood had a let-off when Greenford created an opening, however the final shot was just over the top.

The game was developing into a midfield battle, in which Michael worked particularly hard, and Lynam defended superbly. The latter had a great run and found Taj, whose second attempt looped over the bar, but it was the best move of the match. Woods were stepping up the pace, although the visitors looked a threat on the break.

Northwood’s second goal finally arrived in the 74th minute, when two substitutes linked up well; Courtney Francis crossing for Luke Aldridge to net from close range. They might have made it three in the 88th minute when Taj hit the post with a free-kick from just outside the area.

But the visitors weren’t finished, and Troy Roach made a great save to retain his side’s advantage. And in the dying seconds North Greenford netted a consolation when Anthony Smith converted a spot-kick for a dubious hand-ball decision against Edward Hatcher. Even more dubious was Hatcher’s red card “for preventing a goalscoring opportunity”!

Gez Reilly commented afterwards: “We rotated the squad for this game, but despite some good build-up play, we lacked the finishing touch. We were disjointed at times, but I felt we deserved the points. Despite a below-par showing, the result was never in doubt, and Scott Purdue, Chris Michael and Nick Glenday played particularly well.”