Match Report
by Robin Piper
Northwood enjoyed
their first Trophy win for six years as they edged past their Ryman
League opponents.
Quality was in
short supply at a blustery Abrahams Stadium but a goal from on-loan
centre-back Yiadom Yeboah was enough to put Woods in the hat for the
next round.
Woods welcomed
back goal-keeper Liam Watson for his first game of the season
following his long injury lay-off, whilst Dave Nolan replaced the
injured Dean Powles in the Northwood defence.
Neither side
grasped the nettle in the early stages but Woods did have a shout for
a handball in the box turned down and a free-kick was awarded against
them!
Northwood
gradually began to find their range, Kyle Matthews seeing his shot
deflected for a corner after a neat interchange between Lee Tunnell
and Peter Dean.
However, Wingate
enjoyed a brief spell of pressure, Dan Stanton going close with a low
shot before Joe O’Brien blasted wide from a good position.
And Woods
capitalised on the hosts’ profligacy as they grabbed the decisive
goal. Mark Nicholls was the provider, his cross finding Yeboah, who
showed good strength to turn his marker, his shot having too much
power for ‘keeper Matt Davis to give Northwood a 21st
minute lead.
And Yeboah was
involved once again as he chested down a Nicholls free-kick but
Tunnell was off-balance and his shot sailed over the bar.
Woods had to make
a change on the half-hour when the injured Tunnell was replaced by
fellow striker David Warner.
But after
Wingate’s Guy Morris headed wide from a corner, Northwood went into
the break with their lead intact.
And Woods could
have added to their lead early in the second period, Matthews having
his shot blocked after Warner’s lay-off, although the latter might
have shot instead.
Wingate made a
triple substitution on 66 minutes in an attempt to get back into the
tie but the changes had little impact, and they failed to trouble
Watson in the Northwood goal.
Youngster Elliott
Buchanan was introduced for Matthews with fifteen minutes remaining
and it was the Woods who looked the more likely to add to their score,
Dean Clark having his close range shot blocked after a Warner
knock-down from Danny Murphy’s ball into the box.
However, as the
game reached its final stages, Northwood were forced onto the back
foot by an increasingly desperate Wingate, both Craig Ellis and
substitute Chris West shooting wide of the target.
Woods had a great
chance to put the seal on the match, but Dean appeared to be in two
minds as he neither troubled ‘keeper Davis or found the unmarked
Warner, and Wingate were able to clear the danger.
Defender Lee
Holland was afforded a first Northwood appearance as he replaced Dean
for the closing minutes, but Woods had done enough to progress into
the next round after keeping a clean sheet for only the third time
this season.
PHOTO GALLERY (Click thumbnail to enlarge)
Yiadom Yeboah fires home the winner Wayne Carter surges forward An airborne Kyle Matthews
Yiadom Yeboah fires home the winner
Photos: James Brown & Paul Evans |
