MATCH REPORTS 2005-06

Southern League Premier Division

 Gloucester City 4  Northwood 1

Report by Robin Piper 

Woods manager Colin Payne was left  still looking for his first points since taking over the Chestnut Avenue reins as his charges suffered another miserable West Country away day.

Despite creating a host of chances, poor finishing and slack defending cost Northwood dear as fellow strugglers Gloucester made the game safe before the half-time break with a three goal burst in a mad ten minutes.

With Luke Evans unavailable, Danny Butler formed a new central defensive partnership with Woking loanee Matt Ruby while Leigh Harrington, on loan from Watford, started on the left flank. There was also a return to the midfield for Richard Gell while Gavin Hart reclaimed the right back birth.

And Woods warmed immediately to the task playing with a verve and tempo rarely seen this season. Richard Gell was the first to test Tigers’ keeper Matt Bath with a shot from the edge of the box before the latter pulled off a smart save to deny Dean Clark.

Northwood continued to ask all the questions as the home side were restricted to a couple of speculative efforts. Dean Clark was denied once again by a last ditch tackle after good work from Peter Dean before the favour was returned, Dean being crowded out by the home defence, instead laying the ball off to Chris Gell whose snap-shot was deflected wide.

However, Northwood were made to rue the missed chances as the game was turned on its head, and Gloucester found the net three times before the interval. Jamie Reid opened the scoring on 29 minutes with an emphatic volley into the far corner of the net after he was picked out at the back post.

The Tigers extended their lead five minutes later as the Woods defence switched off, to allow Lee Davis to convert with ease.  And the transformation was completed as Woods keeper Dean Lindsay was caught in no-mans’ land as Richard Kear rounded him before rolling to the ball into an empty net to make it 3-0 in the 39^th minute.

Amongst all the confusion, Ryan Kirkland was brought on to replace the injured Harrington as Woods’ injury jinx continued.

Northwood came out for the second half in a 3-5-2 formation, and were immediately on the attack, Clark and Dean once again going close, while Kirkland had a header cleared off the line following a Clark corner.

And Woods were finally rewarded for their efforts when Kirkland was on hand to convert the rebound after keeper Bath could only parry Dean’s stinging drive, handing the visitors a 58^th minute lifeline.

Northwood were looking increasingly dangerous, and they were cruelly denied an obvious penalty when Kirkland had his legs taken from under him as he shaped to convert Clark’s through-ball.

Woods’ sense of injustice was compounded after 67 minutes as substitute Dave Wilkinson made the points safe with the Tigers fourth goal of the afternoon, waltzing through the visitors defence before curling the ball over Lindsay.

Northwood gamely battled on with Richard Gell, Clark, and Dean seeing their efforts blocked by keeper and defence.

But there was to be no way back for the Woods who now find themselves two points adrift at the foot of the table after this latest reverse.