Match Report
by Robin Piper
Ten-man Northwood
produced a brave, battling performance to deservedly take the spoils
against high-flying Brentwood Town.
Woods had to play
the last half-hour of the match a man down after the inspirational
Mark Burgess was shown a second yellow card for a disputed handball
offence.
Caretaker manager
Mark Barnham was able to welcome back Ryan Tackley and Danny Murphy at
centre-back and left full-back respectively, allowing Joe Cowen to
move into the midfield, whilst Sean Sonner was the lone striker once
again.
Woods settled
quickly and there was an early chance for Sonner as he latched onto
Murphy’s ball over the Brentwood defence but his header failed to find
the target.
Northwood
continued their confident start and the overlapping Danny Power
produced a smart pull-back for Sonner but the striker was unable to
get the required purchase on his left-footed effort.
Sonner was in
the thick of it once more as he got a head on Murphy’s deep cross but
Brentwood ‘keeper Billy McMahon was well positioned to collect.
Having negotiated
the early Northwood pressure, the visitors began to gather some
attacking momentum, with Sherwin Stanley a particular threat. The
Brentwood striker turned smartly in the box, firing wide of the far
post before another effort was turned around the post by keeper Mitch
Swain.
The visitors
continued to probe the Woods defences, Steve Good sending a
half-volley narrowly over the crossbar following a Boniek Forbes
corner.
However, it was
Northwood who opened the scoring on 24 minutes, Sonner converting from
the penalty spot after Michael Gordon was impeded.
Woods extended
their lead after 32 minutes as the unfortunate Forbes hit the ball
into his own net after Sonner and Gordon linked up in the box.
Northwood
threatened again as Anthony Page fired in a half-volley from the edge
of the box but McMahon saved comfortably.
Brentwood
responded well to the setbacks and Good hit an upright with a low
drive, before Stanley was denied once more by Swain.
However, McMahon
was called into action once again when he parried Gordon’s fierce
strike after a slick Northwood move involving Figueiredo and Sonner.
There were
chances at both ends early in the second-half. Dean Parratt sent a
shot over the bar for the visitors, McMahon was almost caught out by
Power’s speculative long range effort. and Sonner headed narrowly over
from Murphy’s corner.
Woods were
reduced to ten men on the hour-mark as Burgess was adjudged to have
handled as he looked to shepherd the ball back towards Swain, Cowen
moving back into the back four as Northwood looked to shore up the
defence.
But Northwood
managed to secure a crucial third goal on 63 minutes as a sublime
Figueiredo through-ball played in Sonner, who rounded McMahon for his
ninth goal of the season.
Northwood were
inevitably pinned back for the remainder of the match as the visitors
looked for a way back with their numerical advantage, Brentwood
reducing the arrears on 66 minutes when Stanley crashed the ball home.
Brentwood
produced a constant wave of attacks, Swain saving well from Good,
whilst Riki Holmes fired over from a good position.
Woods were
bravely standing up to the Brentwood onslaught. However, the visitors
managed a second goal on 78 minutes, substitute Joe Sweeny finding the
net after Northwood failed to clear a free-kick into the box.
Lee Holland was
introduced for Gordon whilst Figueiredo made way for Otis Williams as
the clocked ticked down.
Northwood were
indebted to Swain as he produced another smart save to deny Sweeney a
second goal, thus securing a well deserved victory for his ecstatic
team-mates.
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