Northwood 0 Aylesbury United 2

Saturday 29th November 2025

NORTHWOOD




1	Hafed Al-Droubi
2	Ademide Baruwa
3	Harry McKenna (82m)
4	Manny Folarin ©
5	Gabe Cuthbert
6	Dan Vincent (70m)
7	Reece Price-Placid
8	Carl Stewart
9	Dan Williams
10	Omar Rowe (70m)
11	Osa Otote (85m)
Substitutes
12	Freddie Ford (70m)
14	Rowan Daly (85m)
15	Bryan Mankumbani (82m)
16	Jon-Jo Bates (70m)
17	Hicham Bouchareb
	Aylesbury:Jack Hopwood, Liam Batchelor Morgan, Jake Bewley, Jack Wood, Luke Martin, Sonny French, Lee Stobbs, Fabian Garcia, Reece Cameron, Rocko Tamplin, Ayo Akinbobola (Finlay Reeves 33m)

Northwood chose the wrong day to put in a lacklustre performance in this key fixture between two sides looking to get away from the drop-zone as the halfway stage of the season approaches; allowing a dominant Aylesbury United side to take all three valuable points.

Having won their first home league game of the season two weeks earlier,

the Woods were looking to build on that form at the Skyline and fielded a strong side with the return of both Omar Rowe and Osa Otote after injury and illness respectively.

The Ducks are also on a bit of a rebuild after a recent change of manager and were buoyed by a midweek victory over ten-man Marlow, their own first home win of the season, on which they were looking to build.

The visitors had the first two efforts on goal with Hafed Al-Droubi solid behind shots from Jake Bewley and Lee Stobbs and although Reece Price-Placid had the ball in the net for the Woods on seven minutes, a flag was already up for a marginal offside decision. A couple of minutes later, a Carl Stewart corner was half-cleared out to Dan Vincent but his volley was well wide.

It was after 17 minutes that Aylesbury got their noses in front when a ball from the left dropped to Ayo Akinbobola and after shuffling past Harry McKenna’s attempted challenge he fired neatly into the roof of the net, giving Al-Droubi no chance.

Another corner for Northwood ten minutes later saw Gabe Cuthbert get an effort on goal from close-range but that was cleared off the line by Stobbs and that was the nearest the home side got to threatening an equaliser.

Goalscorer Akinbobola was replaced by youngster Finlay Reeves on 33 minutes and the Ducks finished the half on top, having a couple of strikes from distance and then a final effort from Sonny French which Al-Droubi got across to and pushed it round the post.

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PHOTOS by James Brown

Northwood began the second-half more on the front-foot but without creating any clear-cut chances from a couple of corners and a long-throw, delivered by Ademide Baruwa.

Aylesbury’s Rocko Tamplin always looked dangerous pushing forward from midfield and his shot on 57 minutes was well blocked to deny a good opportunity to add a second while, at the other end, Osa Otote finally found enough space to knock in a cross to the far post where Dan Williams was just unable to get a finishing touch.

On 68 minutes the Ducks should have been further ahead when Reeves raced down the right and shrugged off a couple of half-hearted challenges before firing across goal. It beat Al-Droubi’s dive but came crashing back off the inside of the post to deny him a great goal.

The Woods finally made some much-needed changes with Jon-Jo Bates and Freddie Ford introduced in place of Vincent and Rowe in the centre of midfield. But it had little effect as Aylesbury continued to be solid at the back and goalkeeper Jack Hopwood was never troubled.

Two more substitutions followed with Bryan Mankumbani and youngster Rowan Daly also introduced but on 88 minutes the visitors wrapped up all three points when a good ball from Fabian Garcia put Stobbs in down the right channel and he smashed an angled shot past Al-Droubi for an excellent finish.

The Woods' only real chance of the half came in the third minute of stoppage-time when Price-Placid knocked in a deep cross from the left which found Baruwa but his angled effort flew well over the top.

The Woods have a midweek off for the first time in quite a while this week and return to Southern League action away at Thame United next Saturday with a return to winning form much needed.

REPORT by Alan Evans



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