Match Report
by Robin Piper
Poor defending
cost Northwood dear as they were soundly beaten by play-off chasing
Hemel, who featured ex-Wood Yiadom Yeboah at right-back, whilst there
was a place on the subs bench for former defender Mark Dennison.
Having more than
held their own in the first period, despite conceding an early goal,
Woods were undone by three goals in ten second-half minutes.
With Peter Dean
suspended, Northwood elected to start the game with Jerome Hall as the
lone striker in front of a five-man midfield, whilst Terry Hogan was
preferred to Lee Holland at right-back.
Woods exerted
some early pressure on the Tudors’ defence forcing rookie ‘keeper
Warren Carter to collide with defender Chris Wild, before Damon Ming
went close after he cut in from the left flank.
However, the
early optimism was extinguished as the Northwood defence was caught
napping on nine minutes. Hemel winger Abdul Yoki got outside left-back
Danny Murphy before sending over a low cross to the unmarked Shaun
Byrne, who converted with ease to give Hemel the lead.
To their credit,
Woods responded well and went close to restoring the balance. Murphy
wasn’t far way with a free-kick into the side-netting, whilst James
Shipperley rattled the Tudors’ cross-bar after a game of ping-pong in
the Hemel box.
The game was
being mainly restricted to the middle third of the pitch with both
sides struggling to create any clear-cut chances.
But it was Hemel
who went closest to adding to their advantage before the break. Wild
was off-target with a far post header following a corner, while Dean
Brennan was unable to keep his shot down after he latched onto a long
ball over the Northwood defence.
Having survived
an early second-half scare when substitute Fabio Valenti shot weakly
at ‘keeper Jamiez-Ruiz, Woods conceded a second goal on 50 minutes.
After Northwood had squandered possession, Garry Sippetts got beyond
the Northwood defence, rounding Jaimez-Ruiz before converting from a
tight angle.
Things got worse
five minutes later as Anthony Thomas played in Chris Herron, who
coolly slotted the ball home to give the Tudors a three-goal cushion.
As Hemel began to
run riot, Bradley Hewitt blocked another Herron effort.
But Northwood’s
miserable afternoon was made complete after Jaimez-Ruiz upended Paul
Edgeworth, the Hemel skipper picking himself up to convert the 61st
minute penalty kick, the only consolation being that the Woods’
‘keeper was shown the yellow rather than the red card.
This prompted a
triple substitution from manager Colin Payne, Elliott Buchanan,
debutant Ricardo Cannon, and Lee Holland entering the fray in place of
Wayne Carter, Dwane Williams, and Bradley Hewitt.
However, Hemel
continued to bombard the Northwood goal, Jaimez-Ruiz pulling off a
couple of fine saves to deny Sippetts and Byrne.
As the game
entered the closing stages Northwood’s youngsters finally began to ask
questions of the Hemel defence, Buchanan shooting across the face of
goal after an incisive move.
But that was the
closest that Woods came to grabbing a consolation on a disappointing
afternoon, their frustrations betrayed by late bookings for James
Sparrowhawk and Murphy.
PHOTO GALLERY (Click thumbnail to enlarge)
Dwane Williams finds space in midfield Wayne Carter up close for a corner Damon Ming lets fly with a shot at goal Damon Ming shields the ball
Danny Murphy swings in another cross James Shipperley heads for goal Substitute Riccardo Cannon on his debut Damon Ming in full flight Danny Murphy fires in a cross Elliott Buchanan in control Elliott Buchanan strives for possession
Dwane Williams finds space in midfield
Photos: Paul Evans & James Brown |
