Mark Burgess was able to boost his squad with the return of last season’s top scorer Niko Muir for this midweek trip to Barton Rovers as the Woods looked to avenge the FA Cup defeat suffered at the hands of their opponents. There were other changes too as Jordan Lawal, James Burgess and Ismael Ehui all returned to the starting line-up with Michael Murray, Perry Dicker, Sam Byfield and the ill Omar Vassell making way.
And what a start Muir made on his club reappearance following a spell with Wingate & Finchley as he poked home a shot from ten yards after good work from brothers Joakim and Ismael Ehui had presented him with the early chance with just 42 seconds on the clock.
Rob Hastings made inroads down the right on five minutes and cut the ball back to Muir for a second effort on goal but this time his shot went well wide. On eight minutes, Ismael Ehui threaded an excellent ball through for Joakim Ehui and he should have scored but goalkeeper Kyle Forster was out to block at his feet.
The home side had not mustered an attack at this stage but then Ricky Young drove a long-range effort wide of the target before Keshi Anderson combined with Ricky Forsythe to chip goalwards and Berkley Laurencin had to be safe and push the ball over the top. Forsythe then headed well wide from the resulting corner.
But it was only a brief respite for Rovers as Northwood pressed again. Muir fired over the top and then Joakim Ehui jinked into the box and appeared to be clipped but penalty appeals were waved away. After 29 minutes a well-flighted free-kick saw Ismael Ehui steal in for a firm header down but the ball bounced wide and then the same striker flicked a good ball in by Muir goalwards but Forster made a fine save to deny him.
Three minutes later, the Blues made a rare foray through left-back Jhai Dhillon but Berkley Laurencin made a fine save and then Barton levelled the scores on 39 minutes. A corner was floated in with defender Kevin Kilroy being left free to swivel and volley home from close-range. Forster made another comfortable save to deny Ismael Ehui and the scores were level at 1-1 at the break.
Barton went close to taking the lead just two minutes after restart as Anderson got the better of Nick Turner and knocked in a good cross which Young met with a first-time shot that sailed over the bar.
Andy Lomas got forward well for the Woods and exchanged passes with Hastings but despite seeing his shot deflected, ‘keeper Forster was still behind it and saved well. Then, on 57 minutes a blocked free-kick fell to Will Hudson who hit a crisp strike that forced the ‘keeper into another good save; diving to push the ball wide of the post.
James Burgess, playing his first game for seven months, swung in the resulting corner and Turner flicked a header just wide of the target but the attacking spell continued with Muir setting up Ismael Ehui for a shot on the turn which Forster fumbled before recovering. Two more attempts from Muir followed shortly after this, both were blocked, the second looping up and into the keeper’s grateful hands and then Hudson latched onto a loose ball following another run from Lomas but shot wide.
The Woods should have been back in front after 70 minutes as Hudson won the ball in midfield and then threaded a great ball through for Ismael Ehui. With just the oncoming keeper to beat, he took the ball past him but then failed to put enough power on his shot towards goal and the ball was scrambled away by a retreating defender. Four minutes later, a long ball from James Burgess proved effective as it put Muir into a good position. He shot early but Forster made another good stop.
After all those close shaves, Barton then took a shock lead a minute later when substitute JJ Brown found a bit of space about twenty yards out and hit an accurate shot which went in off the post.
The Woods gambled to try to get back into the match but it failed, just allowing Barton more chances up front. Connor Vincent drilled a shot across goal and just wide and then Laurencin did well to push over a firm header from Young after he met a Brown cross. From the corner that followed, Vincent headed wide while substitute Mahmut Caglar had a weak shot comfortably saved by the Woods keeper.
Laurencin could do nothing though to stop Anderson slotting home a third goal in the fifth minute of stoppage-time to give the home side a fortunate and flattering victory while the Woods will need to focus on their finishing if they are to improve their fortunes. |