Northwood U18 0  Hendon U18 2

Thursday 29th October 2015

 

NORTHWOOD UNDER 18		Ryman Youth League
Team line-up
1	Phillip Daniels
2	Rowland Smith
3	Pearse White (46m)
4	Myles Martin
5	Dylan Noble
6	Matt Parsons
7	Jamie Roche (60m)
8	Will Holland
9	Freddie Buckley (60m)
10	Jack McDonnell
11	Michael Brown
Substitutes
12	Louis Moriarty (60m)
14	Ben Spires (60m)
15	-
16	Dylan Louis (46m)
17	-

Hendon started by far the better side, controlling the early possession, playing the better football and looking dangerous with some great movement up front from the impressive Keagan Cole. Gill Silva, playing in central midfield with 16 on his shirt, also had an impressive start for Hendon. It was Gill’s through ball to Keagan Cole which helped Hendon to open the scoring on 13 minutes. Keagan still with plenty to do, received the ball by pulling off the Northwood back four, slipped past the tackle of Myles Martin and cut through between two Northwood defenders before accurately sliding his shot past Phil Daniels in the Northwood goal.

Northwood reacted immediately with a great passing move involving Jack McDonnel and Michael Brown; Jack found the run of Freddie Buckley,who had a one on one, Hendon keeper Edgar made a superb save, only for the ball to ricochet back unexpectedly off Freddie, and could have ended up anywhere, but eventually went out for a Hendon goal kick.

The game ebbed and flowed, with both sides creating chances, possibly Hendon shading the more clear cut, but Northwood’s composure in front of goal had escaped them in the first half, and decent chances went begging; Woods seemed to want to score a perfect goal rather than strike at the right moment.

Half time substitute Dylan Louis had a superb game in the second half, shutting out Gill, who had been a constant thorn in Northwood’s side. It was the turn now of Jack McDonnell to be the play maker, spreading the ball out wide, and with both full backs overlapping Northwood started to get behind the Hendon back four. Woods' final pass in the first half was just not good quality, as with a fast wet surface, the ball just needed guiding and with more precision. The home side would have needed a greyhound up front the way things were going!

After the break saw an improvement, and Rowland Smith got forward on 53 minutes, and slipped the ball into Michael Brown on the six yard area. He turned well, then both players went to ground, and there was an altercation which then resulted in something of a melee, involving approximately 12 players. The result was a straight red for Hendon’s Jeremie Agueler. The linesman decided the ball had gone out of play prior to the altercation and Northwood were awarded a corner and not a penalty.

Some of the composure and good quality football was lost from both sides for a short while, and it became more like a cup match, with Northwood applying the pressure and Hendon hitting back on the break defending their lead. From a sequence of several Northwood corners, won mainly by the Hendon number 19, the ball finally dropped for Michael Brown, who only managed to shoot over the bar. Hendon were always a danger, with Keagan Cole now playing the lone striker. Will Holland moved to left back started to get forward, and together with Moriarty and McDonnell good interplay won them a succession of free kicks. Both Will and Jack’s beautiful angled kicks into the danger areas were well defended, but Northwood have to do more in these key areas if we are to take advantage and score from set pieces. There was chance after chance, but to be fair Woods didn’t really trouble the Hendon keeper with our finishing. The momentum was with Northwood, and I suppose those who rely on statistics will say Northwood enjoyed 70% of second half possession, and should have done better, but if you don’t finish good quality scoring opportunities, stats are not worth recording. I cannot write that it was for the want of effort; Northwood were far better in the second half, and against a well-organised Hendon team created more chances than accomplished in the first period, but accepting that Hendon were down to 10, credit to Hendon defensively, they did well to keep a clean sheet.

The last word goes to the best player on the pitch, as on 89 minutes, Keagan Cole (remember that name!) with two or three Northwood defenders between him and the goal, turned, outpaced the defence, and shot past Phil Daniels at his near post for a cracking clinching goal.

Report by GARRY MORIARTY