Star striker Eugene Ofori’s return from a month on the injury list helped the Woods to an ideal start in this tough FA Cup fixture but it wasn’t enough to ensure Northwood’s place in the next round. Ofori replaced Garry Senior in attack as manager Dave Anderson shuffled his formation, but there was no place for returning skipper Mark Burgess, who had to settle for a place on the bench.

Wingate & Finchley boasted an unbeaten record going into the game and were yet to concede a goal on their travels but the Woods took just five minutes to make the breakthrough. Rob Ursell played the killer pass through to Ofori, who found space to drill his shot past Gavin King in goal. The visitors had looked lively and they continued to threaten on the break but their shooting was wayward, with Leon Fisher blasting well over from just outside the box.

Northwood won a free-kick in a dangerous area after 18 minutes and Ursell curled a perfect shot which had King diving across goal to tip the ball onto the crossbar and a defender scrambled it away for a corner. The Woods were beginning to turn the screw now and when Ofori latched onto a defensive error on 26 minutes, he sent over an inviting cross for Ursell coming in at the far post but he somehow failed to convert from a few feet.

Wingate finally went close after half an hour when they were awarded a free-kick wide on the edge of the area. Michael Lenahan whipped the ball across and it took a deflection to flash just wide of the far post. A couple of minutes later, Brad Hewitt got in an important tackle as Jamie O’Donoghue attempted to dance his way into the box but the Woods still held the upper hand.

After 35 minutes, Ursell played a neat exchange of passes with Hugo Figueiredo and then drove a shot just inches wide of the post. A minute later, Ofori chased down a long ball and beat King to it as the ‘keeper hesitated. It looked an impossible task to score from the tight angle but Ofori managed it with a curling lifter from the outside of his boot and the Woods were 2-0 in front.

Wingate were then given the lifeline they needed five minutes before half-time. Leon Smith cut in from the left and brushed past soft challenges from both Michael Peacock and Anthony Page, with the Referee deciding that the second challenge was technically a foul and pointing to the spot. Ahmed Rifat stepped up to accept the gift and gratefully bring the visitors back into the game.

Both sides made changes at half-time with Burgess replacing Gary Meakin while Wingate took off central defender Frankie Webb and replaced him with Kieran Street. It seemed to improve things for the visitors and they had Northwood on the back foot early on. Rifat headed over from a corner and then, after 57 minutes a run from Marc Weatherstone led to a cross which picked out the unmarked Smith to head home.

Things became a bit heated midway through the half, with both sides picking up a couple of cautions but the Woods tried to hit back with Hewitt directing a header from a Chris Seeby free-kick straight at King.
Wingate went closest to winning the game after 76 minutes when Weatherstone latched onto a mistake from Gary Burrell and Fisher met his cross with a shot which was blocked for a corner.

John Christian finally managed to keep one of his shots down after 84 minutes but King also got down low to save well and he was also equally alert to keep out an Ofori free-kick four minutes later as the Woods pressed hard to try and prevent a replay.

Then it was Wingate who ended the game on the attack with Swain saving a weak shot from Aynsley McDonald and then fellow substitute Ola Williams shot wide after another cross from Weatherstone.
The two sides now have to do it again at Wingate & Finchley’s Summers Lane ground on Tuesday night for the right to a place in the second qualifying round.

Report by ALAN EVANS

Photos by James Brown