MATCH REPORTS 2005-06

Southern League Premier Division

 Yate Town 1  Northwood 0

Report by Alan Evans

Colin Payne’s first game in charge at Northwood ended in a dismal defeat against the only side below the Woods in the Premier Division table.

He brought two new signings into the starting eleven, with young defender Nick Beasant replacing suspended Danny Butler, while last season’s top scorer Dean Clark returned to the club, replaced the injured Luke Townsend, being preferred to Ryan Kirkland.

After the progress that had been made by the Woods over the past three weeks since the departure of Mick Harvey, there were high hopes of victory here but that never looked likely from the very start.

Yate Town belied their lowly position with plenty of enterprise in attach while also looking solid at the back, marshalled by skipper Dave Elsey. After just five minutes, a cross from the right saw Darren Edwards peel away from the two central defenders for a free header but his effort crashed back off the angle of post and crossbar. This early foray gave Yate plenty of confidence, and they continued to knock the ball around with ease as the Woods midfield struggled to get a grip.

A long-range effort from Paul Chenoweth was not far wide and then Lee Carroll made the first save of the afternoon, getting down to low to stop a Jason Wood strike.

Northwood rallied briefly with a cross from Fergus Moore tempting goalkeeper Dave Dyson out of his goal. Harry Howell got his head to it first and it bounced towards goal but without power, enabling a defender to clear. After 34 minutes, Peter Dean battled his way into the box and his shot took a deflection off of defender Scott Brice but although Dyson fumbled, the ball was again cleared.

It was the home side who finished the half on top once again, though, and Wood should really have given them an advantage, twice missing the target from inside the area.

Wayne Carter replaced Beasant at half-time as the Woods reshuffled and for ten minutes or so it appeared to have a positive effect. There was plenty of attacking during this period and a tackle from Howell sent Gavin Hart into the box but his tumble under challenge from Elsey did not impress the referee. 

Yate soon weathered the storm, though, and Carroll was back in action to save well from Mike Wyatt and then Wood in quick succession. After 65 minutes the Woods were dealt a blow with Richard Gell limping off injured and he was replaced by Shayne Demetrious, himself returning from an injured spell.

Just five minutes later, the home side got the crucial goal as Wyatt found some space on the right to cut in and fire a shot across the diving Carroll and inside the top corner. It was a goal worthy of winning the game and no more than Yate deserved. They tightened things up from this stage which did allow the Woods to get forward a little in the final fifteen minutes. Another ball from Howell set up Clark for a shot but a lunge from a defender deflected it for a corner but with Dean particularly out of sorts up front, Northwood never looked likely to threaten a solid Yate defence.