New manager Gary Meakin rang the changes in his first game in charge, with seven players making their Northwood debuts for the visit to play-off hopefuls Rugby Town.

They certainly hit the ground running as, with the wind behind them, they had Rugby pinned back for much of the first-half. James Bent linked well with lone striker Oliver Hawkins after just six minutes, but saw his shot well saved by goalkeeper Dave Clarke. Two minutes later Kevin Wynter threaded a great ball through which put Wayne Jackson in on goal, but he steered his shot wide of the far post.

After 13 minutes Hawkins showed both good touch and vision with a shot on the turn from distance, which caught Clarke off his line but the ball drifted wide of the target. The attacks continued with Jackson driving in a cross which Clarke juggled and held onto at the second attempt.

The home side were struggling to find any form but got in their first effort at goal after 18 minutes when a cross from Claudiu Hoban picked out giant striker Leon Simpson but he headed over the bar. Back came Northwood, with Barkley Miguel-Panzo playing a good ball inside for Bent but he shot well over ahead, of the Woods winning a series of corners. From one, the ball was only half-cleared and Hawkins powered in with a header which Clarke saved well.

After 27 minutes, Mark Burgess hit a good strike from distance which Clarke couldn’t hold and Miguel-Panzo was on it quickly with a first-time shot that flashed the wrong side of the post. The youngster, who had played against the Woods for Hendon’s Under 18s a couple of weeks ago, had another shot blocked soon after as the side looked to find the all-important goal.

Rugby’s defence was making mistakes too, and Hawkins seized on one lapse soon after to knock in a cross which Miguel-Panzo just failed to get on the end of and then Wynter set up Bent for another strike. He hit it well from 20 yards but straight at Clarke who held on comfortably.

It was much the same at the start of the second half, with Wynter’s drive being pushed round by Clarke. After 54 minutes Hawkins found Miguel-Panzo with a cross and his shot was pushed out by the overworked ‘keeper, this time with a Rugby defender completing the clearance. Two minutes later Jackson pulled the ball back to Wynter who shot wide but around the hour mark, the home side finally started to threaten.

A corner wasn’t cleared and when the ball was played back in Niki Preston looked likely to score before Peter Lyall got in an important block. The ball was played back in, though, and Preston headed straight at goalkeeper Sam Styles.

Soon after, Paddy Connolly headed on a Ben Steane free-kick which flashed wide of the far post and the danger signals were certainly there when a free-kick wasn’t cleared and Lyall cleared off the line from Tyrone Fagan.
The all-important goal came after 73 minutes when the ball was worked in from the right and Melvin Gourlay took advantage of a defensive slip to slam the ball home from close-range.

There was little response to the goal. Rugby forced Styles into a good save with a strike from substitute Seb Hamilton, while the only effort from the Woods was as a result of a cross from Lucas Williams which saw Wynter head for goal but Clarke took it well under pressure.

Report by ALAN EVANS

Photos by Martin Pulley, www.rugbytownfc.com