The Woods had beaten their opponents at the same quarter-final stage of the Middlesex Senior Cup last season but there was never any realistic chance of repeating that feat in this rearranged fixture at Beveree on Thursday night.

Youngster Danny McNicholas was drafted in to become the Woods fourth different goalkeeper in their last four matches, while Oliver Sprague was rested so Jerome Federico filled the unfamiliar left-back spot. Craig White made his first start for sometime after injury problems while Dave Lawrence was back outfield rather than having to play in goal. Ryman Premier side Hampton fielded a pretty strong line-up and their front two of Belal Aite-Ouakrim and Dave Tarpey were more than the Woods could cope with.

Yet it was the Woods who recorded the first effort on goal as Karl Oliyide caught out the Hampton defence with his pace to get into the box but he fired his shot into the side-netting. The Beavers were in front in no time at all, though, as Tarpey jinked down the left and found the unmarked Aite-Ouakrim, who slotted home.

McNicholas made the first save a few minutes later but Northwood were level after ten minutes with a fine solo effort from Niko Muir, crashing an excellent shot past goalkeeper Rodney Chiweshe and into the top far corner. It raised hopes, but only briefly as Hampton were back in front within a minute, forcing a corner when Federico blocked a Tarpey effort and then scoring through defender Alex Finney after the incoming ball was allowed to bounce in the danger zone.

Three more goals followed in a fifteen minute period to take the game away from the Woods. Tarpey headed home a Finney cross after a corner was only half-cleared and then Tarpey turned provider once again to find Aite-Ouakrim who held off his marker to steer home a shot. The former Hendon man then completed his hat-trick when he fired in off the post and the home side were suddenly 5-1 ahead after just 32 minutes.

From then on, Northwood battled hard and did well. Federico and Joakim Ehui caused problems on the flanks while Muir should have done better when shooting just wide after Finney had given the ball away. George Nicholas also shot wide from long-range, though Hampton might have added a sixth before half-time when first Aite-Ouakrim skimmed the bar from a close-range header while Tarpey sliced wide.

It was a matter of damage limitation for the Woods after the break, but that didn’t start well as Mark Burgess gave the ball away to Aite-Ouakrim and though he skipped past McNicholas he was never balanced and was unable to get a shot on target. Up the other end, Oliyide was put through one-on-one with the keeper and after showing good control with his first touch he then fired across goal and just wide of the far post.

McNicholas made a couple of good saves to keep the Beavers at bay but he could do nothing to stop Aite-Ouakrim netting his fourth of the game after 72 minutes when a quick free-kick from George Wells caught the defence napping and he was on his own when he knocked the ball home.

Hampton now take on Hendon in the semi-final, with Wealdstone odds-on favourites to beat Harefield United in the other. This year’s final is also at Wealdstone’s Grosvenor Vale.