Newsdesk
Lopes and Flanagan goals win it at Harlow
Northwood manager Jamie Leacock was delighted as his side bounced back with an excellent 2-1 win at promotion-hopefuls Harlow Town in a BetVictor Isthmian League fixture this afternoon.
After Harlow had started strongly, Eric Lopes curled the ball neatly into the top corner from the edge of the box to give Woods a 22nd minute lead. And just three minutes later, Ethan Flanagan headed home from the corner to make it 2-0. Harlow pulled a goal back early in the second half, but Northwood defended determinedly to hold on to three valuable points to lift them away from the foot of the South Central table.
The match report and photos are here.
30 November 2019
Gabriel signs for Queens Park Rangers
Gabriel Cuthbert, who plays for the Northwood Under 12 Reds, has signed for Queens Park Rangers, having joined the Woods at Under 9s.
Go well Gabriel, all the best from us all at Northwood FC!!
29 November 2019
Hayes & Yeading cup game postponed for a week
The Woods' Middlesex Senior Charity Cup second round tie at home to Hayes & Yeading United, due to be played next Tuesday, 3rd December, has been postponed. The game will now be played the following Tuesday, 10th December.
Our opponents' Middlesex Senior Cup tie at Wealdstone, due this evening, has been postponed due to the weather and now will be played next week.
Meanwhile, it has been confirmed that the BetVictor Isthmian League fixture at home to Chalfont St Peter on Boxing Day will kick-off at 1.00 p.m.
26 November 2019
Woods collapse in second half
A total Northwood collapse in the second half of this afternoon's BetVictor Isthmian League game saw Hertford Town romp to a 6-1 victory at The AcreTweed Stadium in their South Central clash.
And yet the Woods took an early lead through Harry Lodovica - his third goal in as many games - and took that 1-0 advantage in at the break. But a fired-up Hertford outfit levelled within three minutes of the restart, and scored at regular intervals through the second half, to inflict Northwood's second 1-6 scoreline at home this season.
The match report and photos are here.
23 November 2019
Northwood Ladies lose in Isthmian Women's Cup
Northwood Ladies were in action at The AcreTweed Stadium this evening in the first round of the Isthmian Women’s Cup but unfortunately went down to a 1-8 defeat by Ashford Town (Middlesex).
Scarlett Keitley scored the Northwood Ladies goal in the second half.
Northwood Ladies play in the top division of the Bedfordshire & Hertfordshire Women's Football League, in which they were runners-up last season, usually staging home fixtures at Merchant Taylors’ School. You can now check their results and fixtures and current league table on this website.
21 November 2019
Thrilling late win for the Woods against Uxbridge
Northwood gained a thrilling late BetVictor Isthmian League victory against fourth-placed Uxbridge at The AcreTweed Stadium this evening, Luke Holness grabbing the winner in the 89th minute!
The home side opened the scoring through Harry Ludovica in the 23rd minute, only for Mark Bitmead to level within a minute, then ex-Wood Mahlondo Martin put Uxbridge ahead seven minutes from half-time.
Uxbridge held that lead until five minutes from time, when Charlie Hayford got an equaliser from the spot, then Holness hit the late winner to clinch Northwood's third successive victory! The match report is here, and highlights on WoodsTV here. Watch Alon Farrow's post-match interview with Jamie Leacock here.
19 November 2019
First away league win for Woods at Ashford Town
Northwood gained their first away BetVictor Isthmian League win of the season this afternoon, as they chalked up a 3-1 success at Ashford Town (Middx) in a South Central fixture.
And it was a deserved victory for Jamie Leacock's side, achieved despite losing two defenders through injury inside the first 17 minutes.
Harry Lodovica had given Woods a third minute lead following a great Mack Miskin cross, although the home side levelled from the penalty spot on 26 minutes. And a great run and cross from the left by Tyrone Pink ended with the ball in the net five minutes from the break, a home player getting the decisive touch.
Northwood's third goal came from Eric Lopes just on the hour, who fired home after a cross from Luke Holness. The match report and photos are here.
16 November 2019
Plenty of Ins and Outs at Northwood
New Manager Jamie Leacock continues to assess the Northwood squad but has had to act fairly quickly to assess the squad he inherited which found themselves bottom of the league table with just one win to their name. Most of the squad have been given a chance to impress but many have now chosen to ship out rather than attempt to restore the Woods on the road to recovery.
The new boss has brought in seven new players in his first few weeks starting with 19-year-old goalkeeper Joe Ringer who has joined on dual-registration basis from Wealdstone where he came up from their Under-18s having previously been involved at Northwood in the Youth structure. He pulled off a superb penalty save to secure a 1-0 Velocity Trophy victory over Uxbridge on Tuesday night. Left-Back Mack Miskin was next to be signed on and the 19-year-old Bosnian has been a regular having gained experience at Staines Town last season.
The well-travelled Dutch-born winger Festus Lori was next to join having played for Sittingbourne earlier in the season while centre-half Azeez Alabi was then drafted in from Canvey Island.
Three more new signings made their Northwood debuts in midweek, though all have arrived on dual-registration to get senior game time away from their parent clubs. Most experienced of those is right-back Enock Ekongo who arrived from Holland to play for Halesowen Town, Chippenham Town and Melksham Town last season. The 24-year-old signed for Wealdstone before moving to Hayes & Yeading United recently and made an impressive debut on Tuesday night for the Woods.
Gabriel Piorkowski was also at Staines Town before moving to Hayes & Yeading in the summer and he has made half a dozen appearances for the Southern Premier side. Only 18, he looks to have a bright future and should really benefit from his time at Northwood. Finally, for now, 19-year-old attacking midfielder Eric Lopes has also signed on dual-registration from Wealdstone and will also be looking to establish himself in senior football. We welcome all our recent signings and hope that they enjoy their stay with the Woods. You can check the current player profiles here.
While Jamie Leacock did not expect to have to make such wholesale changes, while looking to strengthen certain areas he has also had his hand forced by several departures of some senior and established players. Matt Cooper, who has had his stay with the Woods interrupted by injuries, accepted an offer to join Southern League Central Division leaders Berkhamsted while top scorer Alex Witham is also expected to check-in with the Comrades following a recent seven-day approach; one of several received for his services. Kweku Lucan also brought his 51 game Northwood spell to an end after Tuesday night by accepting an offer to move to Southern Premier Central outfit Biggleswade Town who are currently being managed by former boss Chris Nunn in a caretaker role.
Jaiden Irish is considering a move back to Biggleswade United in the Spartan South Midlands League where he left to join the Woods in the summer while Sacha M'Baye could no longer commit to the cause on the regular basis that is required. Karl Stevenson this week joined Herts County League Glenn Sports this week having not been involved in recent weeks. Louis Bircham has decided to go to Oxhey Jets to get some regular game time while Dan Pett is having a few games for Edgware Town and Chris Gosling is also expected to make a similar move this week. For those that have left us permanently, we thank them for their efforts and wish them well at their new clubs.
We suspect that there may be more new faces to come in the next couple of weeks or so!
14 November 2019
Woods defeat Uxbridge in Velocity Trophy
Northwood came out on top by a single goal in tonight's Velocity Trophy group 8 fixture against Uxbridge at The AcreTweed Stadium.
Teenage defender Ethan Flanagan grabbed what proved to be the winning goal on 19 minutes when he netted from skipper Charlie Hayford's inswinging corner. And another teenager, keeper Joe Ringer ensured Woods won the game when he made a great penalty stop three minutes into stoppage time! The match report is here.
Northwood remained at the top of Group 8 following the victory, but Staines Town can still finish ahead of the Woods should they win in their final fixture away at Bedfont Sports on 26 November. The group winners will play at Enfield Town in the knockout stage.
12 November 2019
Chipstead win at The AcreTweed
Northwood's dismal run continued as they went down 0-3 in a BetVictor Isthmian League fixture at The AcreTweed Stadium at the hands of Chipstead this afternoon.
The Surrey visitors took a 10th minute lead through Sam Bell, and added two more after the break, with Tom Collins and Kten Nicholas netting, to comfortably take the points and leave the Woods still in bottom spot in South Central Division. The match report is here.
9 November 2019
Woods make County Cup progress - on penalties
The Woods moved into the quarter-finals of the Middlesex Senior Cup this evening, but only after North Greenford United had given them an almighty battle at The AcreTweed Stadium, and it took a penalty shoot-out to decide matters.
The Spartan South Midlands Leaguers took a two-goal lead inside the opening ten minutes, which shocked Jamie Leacock's side, and it took them a while to settle. Kingsley Eshun pulled a goal back on 22 minutes, but North Greenford held out until the 83rd minute when Sacha M'Baye headed the equaliser from skipper Charlie Hayford's corner.
So to penalties, and Dan Pett, Charlie Hayford, Kweku Lucan and Kingsley Eshun converted their kicks, as did the first three players up for the visitors. But then Coalan Doyle in the Northwood goal saved the next penalty, and Festus Lori sent the next spot-kick home to clinch a 5-3 Woods victory! The match report is here.
5 November 2019
Woods well beaten in Jamie's first game
New manager Jamie Leacock knows more about the challenge ahead after Northwood went down 1-4 away to Ware this afternoon as he took charge for his first BetVictor Isthmian League fixture.
A defensive mix-up presented Ware with their early opening goal, with an unlucky deflection setting up the second soon after. The home side added two more after the break as they maintained their unbeaten start to the South Central season. Kweku Lucan pulled one back for the Woods in stoppage time after he himself had been fouled. The match report is here.
2 November 2019
