Match Report
by Robin Piper
Northwood
returned to winning ways with a last gasp goal against their
play-off rivals at a wet and windy Capershotts. The driving
wind and rain meant that constructive football was almost impossible
to achieve and there was very little goalmouth action to report
before Gary Burrell popped up in the 90th minute with his first goal
for the club.
There were a
number of changes to the Woods’ line-up. New signing Eugene Ofori
teamed up with the fit-again Kyle Matthews in a new-look attack,
with Solomon starting on the right flank and Rob Ursell reverting to
the bench. There was also a change in defence as Mark Burgess moved
to right-back with Lee Holland making way.
There wasn’t
much incident of note in the opening half-hour, Northwood managing a
couple of headers from Burrell and Hewitt which failed to trouble
veteran keeper Tony Tillbrook, although the latter was almost caught
out by the swirling wind as Danny Power’s intended cross narrowly
cleared the crossbar.
Northwood had
hoped to capitalise by having the wind at their backs in the opening
period but Tillbrook ensured his side went into the break on level
terms as he produced a finger-tip save to deny Burrell. Woods were now
faced with having to play into the elements but they immediately
overcame the handicap as an incisive move saw John Christian slip a
ball through to Burrell who broke into the box before shooting
narrowly past the far post.
At the other
end, Woods keeper Mitch Swain was quickly out to smother a shot from
Aaron Gayle. Waltham Abbey
sent in a couple of speculative efforts from outside the box through
Nicky Burt and Jake Hall but Swain was alert to the danger.
Hugo Figueiredo
replaced the tiring Matthews on 72 minutes and the substitute was
quickly into the action as his shot deflected into the arms of
Tillbrook. Solomon Henry
made way for Danny Brown with four minutes left on the clock with
the game appearing to be heading for a stalemate. The hosts
weren’t far away from grabbing a goal when Marc Sontag’s dipping
long range-shot narrowly cleared the Northwood crossbar.
However, Woods
went one better when Christian’s deflected shot ballooned into the
box and fell nicely for Burrell, whose shot was too strong for
Tillbrook as the ball crossed the line for a 90th minute winner and
three valuable points for ecstatic Northwood.
|
