Three headed goals in eleven second-half minutes saw the Rams take three valuable points towards their quest for a play-off place in a scrappy game not helped by a sticky surface that cut up as the game progressed.
Beaconsfield began well with Nathan Poulton heading over from an Aaron Couch cross and then Couch has a shot comfortably saved by goalkeeper James Reading after a good chip forward from Jordan Ajanlekoko. Lee Grant had been installed in an unfamiliar wide midfield role and played an excellent ball through after 10 minutes which Jerome Federico looked likely to reach but he was beaten to it by the on-rushing Sam Southerden in the Sycob goal.
The Rams forced a series of corners but the Woods defended solidly, if a little too deep, and the visitors were restricted to a long-range effort from Sam Walters that was deflected wide and a Couch header into the side-netting. Northwood began to settle more midway through the first-half with Oliver Hawkins first heading wide from a corner and then volleying over the top after a good ball from Federico.
An excellent flowing move on the half-hour provided the best chance to date as Hawkins started a move that involved Grant and Federico who cut the ball back to Hawkins but his shot was straight at the keeper, who held on well. Niko Muir shot wide soon after but the pressure told on 37 minutes when Muir slipped a ball through to Hawkins, and this time the striker made no mistake with a crisp strike that went through Southerden for the opening goal.
The Woods managed to maintain their narrow advantage through to half-time but only after Ryan Blake wasted a good chance by shooting wide when picked out unmarked by a good cross and Reading made a fine save to deny Ajanlekoko from a good header.
There was a slower start to the second-half but the Woods went close to increasing their lead when Federico first fired over when well-placed and then saw a free-kick saved by the keeper. But the game swung inside a few minutes. On the hour, a well-worked short corner was knocked in to the far post where Yashwa Romeo nodded in from close-range. Just two minutes later, Couch was given too much space as he approached from outside the box and when Reading was unable to hold on to his strike, Ajanlekoko was there to head home the loose ball.
Craig White came on to replace Ricky Rogers who on his comeback from injury had endured a torrid time up against Couch, with Mark Burgess dropping back to the back but that move produced no immediate respite and after 71 minutes Couch knocked in a good cross which Romeo glanced past Reading for a third goal.
The Woods never looked likely to hit back and the game petered out somewhat, but in the final minute of normal time a poor back pass gifted substitute Bradley Wilkinson a clear run on goal and he managed to beat Southerden at the second attempt to make it 2-3. There was little time to take advantage but Northwood did have a chance as another substitute, Dean Worman latched onto a loose ball and hit a crisp shot which crept only just wide of the post.
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