The Woods got back into action on Tuesday night with a Middlesex Charity Cup quarter-final fixture at Enfield Town’s Donkey Lane ground, having not played for just over two weeks. The home side had managed to stage a game a few days earlier and they were certainly fastest out of the blocks in this cup-tie and it proved to be decisive. Northwood were missing the unavailable Lee Grant and Craig White as well as the injured Ricky Rogers so James Fraser started at right-back, Ryan Phillips on the left side of defence and Adil Salih moved into the central midfield area.

After the Woods had missed a good chance in the first minute; Spencer Bellotti seeing his effort deflected wide after being slipped through on goal, Enfield scored twice in the opening ten minutes. The home side forced a fifth minute corner and when the ball was knocked down, no-one had picked up Mark Kirby who simply stroked the ball inside the post giving James Reading no chance.

Danger-man Kirby went close from another corner soon after but on ten minutes, former Woods striker Bryan Hammatt, a veteran of just an occasional run-out nowadays, showed he could still play a part when a deflected shot flew past Reading for a second goal. Incredibly it is almost twenty years since Hammatt made his Northwood debut.

Northwood did settle more eventually and started to play some neat football in an effort to get back into the game and after 20 minutes Bellotti knocked a ball wide to Jerome Federico. His cross was knocked inside by Romaine Walker to George Nicholas but his shot flashed the wrong side of the post. Any thoughts of a comeback against the Ryman Premier side were practically ended after 26 minutes when Walid Matata found space to cut in from the right and fire home with a crisp strike that made it 3-0 to Enfield Town.

Just two minutes later, Walker served a reminder of the kind of form that he is capable of when jinking his way past several defenders inside the box before being clipped out wide by goalkeeper James Chalk. Penalties have not proved too much of advantage for the Woods this season, of course, but this time newly-designated taker Reece Yorke made no mistake to reduce the arrears.

Federico hit a low shot straight at Chalk soon after but the remainder of the half progressed quietly as the wind and rain continued to swirl around and Northwood had much to do with the wind at their backs after the break. The visitors pushed forward from the restart with Oliver Hawkins flicking a couple of headers wide but were then pushed back again as Mark Burgess replaced the injured Salih.

Tyler Campbell went close with a run and shot that found the side-netting but then the Woods began to press again with Federico not far wide with a similar effort. After 69 minutes, Nicholas latched onto a loose ball twenty-five yards out and hit a powerful shot that came back off the post. Just a minute later Bellotti robbed a defender and raced into the box with just Chalk to beat but fired over the top.

Instead of being back in the game, it was game over just a minute later, as Adam Wallace flicked a cross just inside the post for a well-taken fourth goal. Still the Woods battled on, and they went close on a couple of occasions in the closing stages. A good run and cross from substitute Bradley Wilkinson found Bellotti unmarked but he swept the ball over the top. Then, just before the final whistle, Federico was denied by a good save from Chalk after a ball from Phillips set him up.

In the end, Enfield Town were good value for their victory and now move on to a semi-final away at either Uxbridge or Wealdstone.