The confidence that accompanies a winning side continued as the Woods notched their fifth consecutive victory with this battling victory over a Beaconsfield side that included eight former Northwood players.
You have to go back more than ten years, to the club’s promotion season of 2002/03, to find a similar run of form and full credit must go to Mark Burgess and his team for the manner in which they have turned round their performances over the last month.
There was a debut for experienced Israeli goalkeeper Tomer Sherman who was preferred to youngster Jake Knight while Michael Murray made his first start for the club; replacing Dave Lawrence who was nursing a slight hamstring strain so was left on the bench.
A strong wind made things difficult for both sides from the start and it was no surprise that there was a slow, cagey start by both sides. But it was the home club who created the better chances in those early stages eventually notching a shot on goal by John Christian which was deflected wide by a good challenge. From the resulting corner, Craig Carby’s header brought Sherman into action for the first time and he saved well.
Another corner-kick on 20 minutes saw Aaron Lansiquot nod the ball back across goal and Jordan Ajanlekoko’s header clipped the crossbar.
Having survived that brief onslaught, the Woods gradually worked their way into the game, gaining more possession and starting to threaten. After 24 minutes Murray played a neat ball through to the in-form Niko Muir who raced into the box but had his shot blocked for a corner.
Seven minutes later Murray played Muir in again down the right but his square-ball was just too strong for Karl Oliyide as he came in unmarked. The left-winger retrieved the ball and cut in again but saw his shot flash wide of the far post.
On 35 minutes Murray got on the end of a Joakim Ehui cross but was unable to get his shot away and the ball was scrambled away. Half-time was approaching when the Woods forced a corner and when knocked in by Murray, Burgess dummied at the near post and Steve Brown stole in to volley home from close-range.
Buoyed by the half-time lead, the Woods continued to dominate the early stages of the second period with James Reading forced into a save by Oliyide on 48 minutes and then Northwood grabbed a second crucial goal six minutes later. George Nicholas was the architect, breaking forward from midfield and then feeding Ehui on the right. His cross almost fed Nicholas as he came in but instead rolled on to Murray who swept the ball clinically inside the post with Reading unable to react.
Beaconsfield were soon gifted a chance to get back into the game as Burgess’s attempted clearance sliced up onto his arm and the Referee surprisingly pointed to the spot. Wayne O’Sullivan took responsibility for the penalty but Sherman chose correctly and dived across to make a fine save.
With Sycob having already lost two home league games during the previous week, their self-belief was visibly lacking and it could have been game over when Oliyide finally got the better of Nathan Webb on the left. He beat his man and raced into the box before cutting a ball back but Muir and Craig White got in each other’s way and neither managed to get a clear shot on the almost empty goal.
Just a minute later Oliyide repeated the trick down the flank and this time went for goal himself but the ball crept just wide of the far post.
Beaconsfield boss Gary Meakin made changes with former Woods midfielder Jack Hutchinson and Bilal Butt introduced but Hutchinson was soon in the wars when he fell and on his shoulder and he was then replaced by James McCluskey, another familiar face.
Lawrence replaced the tiring Murray after 70 minutes as the Woods continued to defend solidly with the whole back-four impressing. Sycob did have a chance from a corner with Ajanlekoko seeing his effort saved by Sherman who looked solid throughout.
Northwood were happy to try to counter on the break and one such chance fell to White as we raced clear but it came to nothing and by the end, Beaconsfield were simply left frustrated by the Woods hard-working display.
The side now move on to a tricky home league game against St. Ives Town as they look to notch a fifth league win on the trot, again for the first time since 2003. |