Hartley Wintney 4 Northwood 0

Saturday 25th November 2023

NORTHWOOD




1	Roraigh Browne
2	Teddy Stacey
3	Deago Dunbar Bonnie
4	Carl Stewart ©
5	Romario Jonas
6	Harry Gallagher
7	Sam Jenkins (76m)
8	Harry McCorkell
9	Dan Williams
10	Reece Cameron (70m)
11	Kofi Anokye-Boadi
Substitutes
12	Harry McKenna (70m)
14	Godlove Oppong (76m)
15	Keagan Cole
16	Luke Tingey
17	Zeid Hannachi
	Hartley: Callum Coulter, Denny Roberts, George Wallace (Harrison Bayley 72m), George Winser (Jenson Mansel 75m), Liam Gavin, Ellis Orsborn, Jayden Smith, Mason Obeng, Taylor Morgan, Adam Payce (Andry Demira 72m), Reece Wylie

The Woods struggles continued in Hampshire as they fell to their heaviest league defeat in the two years under the current management team.

Having won at Chipstead last time out two weeks ago, hopes were high for continued improvement and there was only one change to the starting line-up with the experienced Sam Jenkins preferred to youngster Harry McKenna.

But Northwood made the worst possible start, conceding after just 40 seconds when Hartley Wintney’s first attack led to an opening goal for their top scorer Jayden Smith.

After that setback the Woods responded well. A short corner and cross from Kofi Anokye-Boadi almost fell kindly to Harry Gallagher. In the end he could only poke a shot goalwards and it lacked the power to beat goalkeeper Callum Coulter.

They went closer to an equaliser after 19 minutes. This time it was Jenkins that provided the ammunition from a free-kick and Gallagher steered his header goalwards but Coulter was equal to it, tipping his effort over the bar.

The Row still looked dangerous in attack when they broke forward and four minutes later Smith set up a chance for Mason Obeng but he shot wide of the far post.

Northwood’s best chance to level came on 25 minutes when Teddy Stacey raced deep into the home half and knocked in an excellent cross which was met by a Recce Cameron volley. It gave Coulter no chance but crashed back off the crossbar and was safely cleared.

Stacey tried his luck himself five minutes later but his strike was always going wide of the far post and as the game continued in a pretty open fashion, Adam Payce’s shot on the turn trickled wide of the target.

The Row had just managed to keep the Woods out as half-time approached and the Woods would have been fairly happy following the disastrous start to the match but two minutes into stoppage-time, Hartley Wintney doubled their lead with Smith setting up Taylor Morgan who rifled in a fine finish.

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PHOTOS by James Brown

Clearly it was going to be an uphill struggle for the Woods to get back into the game from a two-goal interval deficit but apart from an early run and cross from Anokye-Boadi that saw Cameron fire over the top, the home side managed their advantage really well.

Payce went close on 61 minutes as he raced through down the middle but his attempted lob of Roraigh Brown in goal saw the Woods keeper palm the ball away with strong hands. Soon after, Morgan looked to wrap up the game as he was played in down the left and Browne again made a fine save.

Northwood rallied briefly as Dan Williams shot across goal and wide and then Cameron had an effort well blocked by Ellis Orsborn. Cameron was replaced by McKenna on 70 minutes, picking up a yellow card as he left the field following a challenge on Coulter moments earlier and then Jenkins was replaced by Godlove Oppong but neither sub found enough time to make an impact.

This was because the game was killed off completely on 82 minutes as Reece Wylie and Smith combined to find Morgan completely unmarked in front of goal and he lashed home his second of the afternoon.

Hartley were full of confidence now and it was Obeng who added a fourth goal after 89 minutes, cutting in from the left and scoring with a fierce shot that deflected off Jonas to give Browne no chance.

REPORT by Alan Evans