Edgware & Kingsbury 1 Northwood 2
Tuesday 23rd September 2025
| NORTHWOOD | |||
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| 1 | Hafad Al-Droubi  |
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| 2 | Henry Atkinson | ||
| 3 | Harry McKenna | ||
| 4 | Chama Torsiello (67m) |
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| 5 | Jack Empson | ||
| 6 | Jack Smith (84m) | ||
| 7 | Reece Price-Placid (32m) | ||
| 8 | Freddie Ford | ||
| 9 | Dylan Kearney |
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| 10 | Devonte Totesaut | ||
| 11 | Jamie Kennedy | ||
| Substitutes | |||
| 12 | Nasir Sharifi | ||
| 14 | Hicham Bouchareb (32m) | ||
| 15 | Ademide Baruwa (84m) | ||
| 16 | Bryan Mankumbani (67m) | ||
| 17 | Mack Miskin | ||
Northwood moved into the second round of the Middlesex Senior Cup on Tuesday night with a narrow win at Combined Counties League strugglers Edgware & Kingsbury who made a game of it through to the final whistle.
Having won their first league game a few days earlier, the Woods management chose to rotate the squad completely, starting with only one player that had also started on the Saturday at Hertford – defender Chama Torsiello. Back from time away, in came Hafed Al-Droubi in goal and Dylan Kearney up front. Four of the five subs from the weekend also started but so did Under 18 Henry Atkinson, Harry McKenna back from injury and Jamie Kennedy alongside joint manager Jack Smith who start for the first time this season; as did another Under 18 in Freddie Ford.
The home side, under the management of former Woods defender Lee Grant, included former Woods player Samuel Odusoga in their starting line-up and another, David Agyemang, on the bench.
Northwood started on the front foot, playing the ball around with pace and an early corner, delivered by Smith found Jack Empson but his header was just the wrong side of the post. Soon after, Kennedy put in a good cross from the left which was clearly pushed away with a defender’s arm but penalty claims were waved away.
The pressure continued and the Woods had the ball in the net after 18 minutes as Kearney forced goalkeeper Archie Horsman into the first of many saves on the night and as Ford pounced to score from the loose ball, the whistle went for an infringement by Devonte Totesaut on Tommy Everitt in the box.
Edgware were working hard to keep tabs with the visitors and eventually created a chance of their own as Lucas DaSilva Luz was slipped into the box and Al-Droubi had to push his good strike wide of the near-post. The Woods then lost Reece Price-Placid, who had been enjoying himself down the right flank, to a knock as he was replaced by Hicham Bouchareb.
Northwood pressed again with Atkinson setting up Smith for a shot which flew well over and then Torsiello got in a header from a Smith free-kick which needed to be pushed wide by Horsman. It seemed like a goal was close when Smith tried again with a shot which was over the top again but closer. On 39 minutes the deadlock was finally broken when Ford knocked in a cross from the left which found its way across to Totesaut who took a touch and slotted past the keeper for the lead.
With half-time approaching, Ford tested the keeper again with a solid strike but Horsman was equal to it and it remained just 1-0 to the Woods at the break. Three minutes after the restart, Bouchareb cut in from the left to fire a shot which was well blocked by Horsman and the young keeper did really well to get back up and block Ford’s follow-up. He starred again on 55 minutes, tipping a fierce shot from Totesaut over the bar to keep his side in it.
But Ford wasn’t to be denied his first senior goal which came two minutes later. Totesaut seized on a loose ball after Bouchareb was fouled out wide and played it to the youngster who took one touch and then hit an accurate strike from outside the box which arrowed unerringly inside the post.
Northwood were still looking comfortable as Kearney tested the keeper further with a good shot on the turn but it was comfortable for Horsman who held on and soon after, another Kerney shot looped up off a defender and Kennedy did well to get up and head back across goal but came back off the inside of the post and Horsman managed to claw it off the line.
Torsiello had picked up a yellow card for a tug on an attacker so he was withdrawn and replaced by defender Bryan Mankumbani for his debut. However, the home side had improved for the introduction of a couple of substitutes and went close with one strike that flew across the face of goal and wide before one of those subs, Samuel Adetiba found himself unmarked to steer a header home on 77 minutes to give the Wares some hope.
Thankfully, the Woods managed to see out the rest of the game fairly comfortably and they went very close to adding a third in the first minute of stoppage-time as Bouchareb cut in from the left, across a series of defenders but then saw his effort pushed onto the near-post by Horsman who then pounced on the loose ball too.
The win earns Northwood an away tie at Hanworth Villa in round two on their brand-new artificial surface. The Villains will be looking to avenge their FA Trophy defeat at the Skyline back in August and have hit some good form in recent weeks so a tough fixture ahead.
REPORT by Alan Evans
