Bedfont Sports 0 Northwood 1
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Wednesday 17th August 2022
| NORTHWOOD | |||
 |
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| 1 | Andrew McCorkell | ||
| 2 | Sam Jenkins (77m) | ||
| 3 | Andy Lomas | ||
| 4 | Luke Tingey | ||
| 5 | Keagan Cole © | ||
| 6 | James Gurteen | ||
| 7 | Ronan Hutchins (86m) | ||
| 8 | Riccardo Alexander-Greenaway | ||
| 9 | Lindell Stewart | ||
| 10 | Sydney Ibie | ||
| 11 | Carl Stewart | ||
| Substitutes | |||
| 12 | Ergys Pepaj | ||
| 14 | Josh Helmore (86m) | ||
| 15 | Harry Gallagher | ||
| 16 | Brandon Kalu (77m) | ||
| 17 | James Budden | ||
|
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Northwood built on their positive start to the season as they registered a second win in five days by overcoming last season’s play-off contenders at the Bedfont Recreation Ground.
Woods were forced to make a late change at the back as James Budden was delayed enroute to the ground, Luke Tingey resuming his role in central defence with Sam Jenkins returning to the right wing-back berth. There was also a return for Andy Lomas at left wing-back with Brandon Kalu reverting to the bench.
Having dealt with an initial burst from the hosts as goalkeeper Andrew McCorkell was called into action to deal with a dangerous cross from former Wood Tayshan Hayden-Smith, the visitors were soon on the offensive; Sydney Ibie forcing a corner after linking well with Lomas before Lindell Stewart saw his shot deflected wide after Riccardo Alexander-Greenaway had combined with Jenkins to create the opening.
Northwood’s bright start continued with Tingey’s searching ball picking out Lomas in an advanced position, the latter taking the ball beyond keeper Gary Ross, who had advanced outside his box, before pulling it back for Lindell Stewart whose blocked shot ran loose to Ronan Hutchins, but he was denied by some last-ditch defensive work.
Woods maintained their high tempo on the slick 4G surface with Alexander-Greenaway the next to threaten as he dragged his shot wide of the target. But the visitors were finally rewarded for their dominance on 21 minutes as Ross failed to gather Lindell Stewart’s low cross which was turned into his own net by Joseph Morrison under pressure from Ibie.
Northwood’s intensive pressing was preventing the Eagles from getting into any sort of rhythm, the Woods’ midfield partnership of Carl Stewart and Alexander-Greenaway controlling matters in the middle of the park. And the visitors continued to threaten as Lomas found space once again down Northwood’s left flank with his cross picking out Lindell Stewart, but the latter’s header lacked the power to trouble Ross.
Bedfont briefly threatened as Hayden-Smith’s driven freekick flew across the face of the Northwood goal before Lucas Kennedy-Sinclair was denied by a timely block from Tingey. However, Woods remained a constant threat to the Eagles, Hutchins being denied once again by some good defending with the referee waving away Northwood appeals for a penalty.
Photos by JAMES BROWN
Woods continued to push for a second goal before the break, Carl Stewart’s defence-splitting ball sending Ibie on a jinking run into the box, but his shot was blocked before another run at the Eagles backline ended with a shot flying past the far upright.
However, Northwood had some defending to do as the opening period drew to a close – McCorkell tipping over Hayden-Smith’s long-range freekick before having to deal with the resulting corner.
Woods were immediately on the offensive after the break, James Gurteen miscuing when picked out by Hutchins’ freekick into the Bedfont box before Lindell Stewart’s dangerous cross just evaded the on-rushing Ibie.
Having resisted Northwood’s attempts to increase their lead, Bedfont were beginning to get more of a foothold and Hayden-Smith went close as he shot into the side-netting. However, despite enjoying an increasing amount of possession, Bedfont were struggling to make any real impression on an organized Northwood who were content to sit deep and look to counter – Tingey heading over from a Hutchins cross on one such foray.
Jenkins made way for Kalu on 77 minutes as the former looked to be feeling the effects of a recent thigh problem, the versatile substitute proceeding to look at ease at the right wing-back.
Northwood continued to look comfortable with another speculative attempt from Hayden-Smith flying wide before a cross from Marco Firgueiredo was well out of the reach of any Bedfont attackers.
Josh Helmore was introduced for Hutchins with two minutes left on the clock. And Woods went close to scoring that elusive second goal as Ibie latched onto a Keagan Cole through-ball, but the shot deflected for a corner.
But one goal was to prove enough as Northwood safely negotiated the five minutes of added time with McCorkell gathering a shot from Sam Evans to make sure of the points and maintain the 100% start to the fledgling season.
Report by ROBIN PIPER
