With Dean Marney having been recalled by Harrow Borough and skipper Mark Burgess unavailable, a central defence of Zac Gill and Ed Hatcher was unable to hold back play-off seeking Biggleswade and especially star striker Paul Barnes who enjoyed a field day.

Yet, it could have been different if the Woods had taken advantage of a seventh-minute penalty when Romaine Walker’s first run into the box ended with a trip by Daniel Flack. James Bent had a 100% record from his two previous spot-kick attempts but this time goalkeeper Dean Bull dived the right way to keep it out and Bent put the rebound over the bar.

With the pace of former Woods striker Harry Hunt also keeping the defence on their toes, the home side launched wave after wave of attacks and both Hunt and James Freshwater had gone close to opening the scoring before the Waders took a 25th minute lead. A free-kick was pumped in to the far post and when Matt Jarvis missed the chance to clear, Barnes finished clinically with a powerful strike that slammed in off the crossbar.

From there it was all about the livewire Barnes who rode two tackles before firing over and then forced Danny Sonner to push another shot just round the post. After 31 minutes a quick break led to Freshwater providing an accurate cross and Barnes headed home despite Sonner getting his hands to the ball.

Northwood rallied briefly, with Wayne Jackson put in on goal by Walker but seeing his shot saved by Bull and then the ‘keeper also held on to a Bent drive that Jackson dummied cleverly.

The Woods needed to hold on until half-time if they were to remain in with a chance but it all fell apart in the final two minutes. Barnes seized upon some poor passing just inside the Woods half and raced forward before knocking in a shot that Zac Gill headed past a stranded Sonner for an own-goal. Almost immediately it was 4-0 as Barnes headed in unmarked and it was game over before the break.

With nothing to lose, Northwood responded well after the break with Walker more involved and forcing Bull into a good early save and then setting up Jackson for a shot which was blocked for a corner. A few minutes later Scott Orphanou hit a shot on the turn which was not far wide of the post and they finally pulled a goal back after 56 minutes. Jackson played the ball wide to Walker and he raced past his marker before hitting a shot that Bull could only push out. Jackson was onto the loose ball but his goalbound strike was headed off the line by Liam Folds only for Seldyn Grant to follow up with a header into the empty net.

Any chance of a memorable comeback was soon ended though as just three minutes later Hunt raced past Hatcher and squared the ball across for Barnes to add his fourth of the game. The goalscoring hero, who somehow claimed all five goals despite the obvious own goal, was substituted soon after but it didn’t stop Biggleswade from continuing to threaten with Hunt heading against a post before netting a sixth goal when heading home a cross from Ashley Fuller after 71 minutes.

Again, the Woods had a better spell after this with Orphanou racing on to a through-ball and slotting home to reduce the arrears two minutes later. Substitutions were made and shots from Bent, Orphanou and Ben Long all went close before Northwood were awarded a second penalty after Orphanou was taken down. He took the kick himself but Bull was equal to it once more, again diving the right way to pull off a fine save.

Chances spurned, the final stages once again belonged to the home side with Sonner making a couple of good saves to deny Fuller and substitute Brett Donnelly while Donnelly also headed wide from a good position.

Report by ALAN EVANS

Photos by James Brown