Spartan South Midlands League side Langford proved stiff opposition for the Woods on this Tuesday night friendly fixture, as the Northwood defence suffered again after conceding five to Barnet a few days earlier. Strangely enough, Langford had also beaten another Ryman Division One North side, Ware, 5-4 on the Saturday.

Colin Payne’s starting line-up looked lacklustre at the star and were two goals down in nine minutes with well taken goals from Jack Gregson and Gary Walker.

Northwood were fielding a new front-line, with former Uxbridge striker Charlie Hill and the experienced John Lawford linking up, and they took time to settle.

However, after 11 minutes, Dean Clark played a good ball into the box and a defensive error allowed Chris Mills to pounce with a delicate lob of the ‘keeper.

Six minutes later Lawford played another defence-splitting pass, and this allowed Hill to notch his first goal in Northwood colours.

Having pulled level, the reds looked likely to go on from there but Langford still looked sharp when they were attacking, and Bill Fishenden made a good save from Walker soon after.

After 24 minutes, Hill almost got his second when he jinked into the box and, after seeing the ‘keeper block his initial effort, a follow-up shot crashed back off the post.

The home side battled back again and after 32 minutes the speedy winger Carl Barnes crossed from the right and Bradley Hewitt steered his attempted clearance past Fishenden for an own-goal.

Not to worry, though, as three minutes later Clark threaded another ball through a square-defence and Lawford raced on to level things up once again and make it 3-3 at half-time.

For the second-half, some fresh young legs were introduced with Aryan Taj on for Dwane Williams and then Danny Brown replacing Kevin McKenna.

It was Langford who went closest to increasing their lead early on but Northwood who eventually went in front for the first time after 64 minutes. This time it was Brown who played the through-ball, and Hill kept his cool to finish in clinical fashion.

Things seemed to heading for a victory but six minutes from time, Barnes cut in from the right and after his shot had beaten Fishenden but cannoned off the crossbar, Rob Groves stole in from the other side of the pitch and smashed the ball back into the other corner.

In the final minute, Langford won a corner and Mark Wright steered it home at the near-post to complete an unlikely scoreline.