Fleet Town Under 18 3   Northwood Under 18 3 

Thursday 7th April 2011

Northwood U18		Ryman Youth League Calthorpe Park, Fleet, Hants
Chezney Cassell	1	Kick Off
Tommy Day	2	7.45 p.m.
Gbenga Adelana	3	H/T
Julian Smith	4	0-0
Reece Fallon	5	Scorers
D Cole-Parkes	6	Northwood
Nathan McLeod	7	Khan, Lema, Hutchinson
Liam McGrath	8
Kevin Lema	9
Jack Hutchinson	10
Zain Khan	11
Damilola Thomas(11)	12
Jonas Charles (7)	14
Jordan Douglas (9)	15
	17
-	18

Northwood’s chances of finishing in the Ryman Youth League top two took a little bit of a knock on Thursday night as they were held to a draw at lowly Fleet Town and while they can take a lot of credit for coming back from conceding two early goals, they missed chances that would have earned them all three points.

Kevin Lema came in up front to lead the line in the absence of the suspended Romain Walker but Martin Day’s side was also missing Sean Hollowed, Jake Rosier, Julian Cole and Richard Amofa so Reece Fallon moved into the centre of defence to cover.

Fleet have only won one league game all season but they looked much more lively that the Woods at the start of the game and within twenty minutes the home side had helped themselves to a two-goal lead and Northwood had a mountain to climb.

But climb it they did before half-time, starting when Zain Khan pounced on a loose ball to reduce the arrears after 27 minutes. Khan then played a good ball out to Jack Hutchinson who cut in and hit a great shot which was pushed wide by the ‘keeper. From the corner both Nathan McLeod and Julian Smith missed half-chances but the equaliser arrived just before the break as Lema raced onto a through-ball and rounded the ‘keeper for a cool finish.

Fleet were playing down the massive slope in the second half and they had the early chances but failed to hit the target and they should have paid for that as the Woods then surged forward. McLeod fired over from close-range and then Lema pounced on a defensive error but was denied by the ‘keeper who spread himself well to save. Zain Khan was next to go through one-on-one and he beat the ‘keeper but the ball rolled the wrong side of the post.

Damilola Thomas replaced Khan and he was soon causing problems for the ragged Fleet defence but had left his shooting boots at home, firing wide of the near post and then over the top twice from three chances inside five minutes. There would have been a lot more chances on goal if the assistant referee, a home club replacement for an official that hadn’t turned up, hadn’t flagged for numerous offside decisions that were “questionable” at best, but then Fleet suddenly regained the lead against the run of play with a well-worked goal on 78 minutes.

The Woods almost levelled straight away as Thomas ran onto a through-ball from substitute Jordan Douglas and chipped the ‘keeper only for the ball to bounce a yard from the line and up and over the bar. They continued to look for a way forward with the ball wide to Hutchinson looking the most likely to produce something and he had a shot well-saved by the ‘keeper after 84 minutes before scoring the equaliser a minute later.

The lads went for the winner but were unlucky to find no decisions going their way in the closing-stages, especially when Smith was sent tumbling in the box having latched onto a Douglas pass and frustration got the better of Liam McGrath who was red-carded for comments to the Officials which should have been kept to himself. In the final minute, Thomas broke free again down the right and when his cross was only half-cleared, Gbenga Adelana had a final chance to win the game but he hit his shot well wide.

The Woods now need to regroup and recover from their disappointing week and get themselves back up for the two huge games this coming week; away at second-placed Woking on Tuesday night and then Thursday’s home game against leaders and title-favourites Staines Town on Thursday.

Report: ALAN EVANS