Match Report
by Alan Evans
 

Northwood resurrected their ailing fortunes, coming from a goal behind to win their first league game since the opening week of the season and lift themselves off the bottom of the table.

Both sides were hit by a whole host of injuries and suspensions, with Colin Payne having to select from a squad deprived of goalkeeper Liam Watson (injured), defender Yiadom Yeboah (left for Hemel Hempstead), midfield quartet Wayne Carter, Danny Julienne (both suspended) plus Dwane Williams and Dean Powles (both injured), as well as striker Kyle Matthews, who has gone on the missing list. Chippenham had Ian Harvey and Alan Griffin suspended, while Ian Herring was injured and goalkeeper Steve Perrin, brother of manager Darren, had announced his retirement during the week.

It got worse for Northwood before the match had even begun, as youngster Elliott Buchanan injured a groin in the warm-up, so Bradley Hewitt was drafted into a reshuffled line-up that started the game.

It was Chippenham that settled quickest on a difficult playing surface, with Tom Etheridge flashing a shot across the face of the goal with Danny Murphy conceding a corner under pressure.

The Woods responded with a good move involving Lee Tunnell and Peter Dean, which saw Murphy into the area up the other end, but he went down too easily under a challenge.

The visitors took the lead after just 14 minutes when their star striker Dave Gilroy broke down the right and fired in a cross which picked out the unmarked Kye Holly to fire home.

Dean, playing with more confidence following his midweek first goal of the season against Histon, let fly with a 25-yard effort which went just over the bar ten minutes later as the Woods looked for a way back.

Those plans were hit further when Lee Tunnell had to leave injured after 27 minutes to be replaced by Lee Holland. He came into the right midfield role while David Warner switched to a forward position.

It seemed to leave the Woods better balanced, though, and within a minute a ball from stand-in skipper Mark Dennison to debutant Jerome Hall saw him try his luck from long-range and he wasn't far away.

After 36 minutes Hall combined with Dean in a one-two that set up the latter for a strike which was only just wide of the near post as Northwood really began to threaten.

Four minutes later, a free-kick just outside the box saw Mark Nicholls curl the ball over the wall but it crashed back off the crossbar.

As the second-half began, Dennison picked up an early booking for a foul on the edge of the box which was made even worse by the fact that he was injured in the challenge, replaced by reserve midfielder Jack Lisi.

It meant another reshuffle of the side but the equaliser followed almost immediately. Warner knocked a fine ball through to Hall down the right and he beat his marker before firing towards the near post. Goalkeeper Chris Snoddy could only push the ball against the post, and Dean pounced swiftly to sweep home the rebound.

Holly went close to adding his second for Chippenham ten minutes later when a ricochet shot off of Bullivant bounced towards goal, but the ball was scrambled off the line.

Northwood immediately broke quickly with Warner down the left, and he cut the ball back for Dean to fire home his second and put the Woods in front.

The visitors rallied with Gilroy always a threat, but Bradley Hewitt made two decisive tackles to deny his raids on goal, while Sam Allison looped a header just over the bar when well placed.

After 76 minutes Hall got his head to a Murphy cross but could only flick the ball straight at Snoddy, and the newcomer continued to impress with a great ball through to Warner, who was then crowded out in the box.

In the end Northwood were worthy winners as they ended a run of thirteen games without a win, while also gaining revenge for the 5-1 defeat that they had suffered at Chippenham earlier in the season.