Uxbridge 1 Northwood 0
Saturday 5th November 2022
NORTHWOOD | |||
1 | Andrew McCorkell | ||
2 | Junior Paiva | ||
3 | Andy Lomas (88m) | ||
4 | Riccardo Alexander-Greenaway | ||
5 | Luke Tingey © | ||
6 | James Gurteen | ||
7 | Jake Tabor | ||
8 | Micah Jackson (66m) | ||
9 | Juwon Akintunde | ||
10 | Sydney Ibie | ||
11 | Carl Stewart (90m) | ||
Substitutes | |||
12 | Ergys Pepaj | ||
14 | Dan Daggett | ||
15 | Harry Gallagher (90m) | ||
16 | Brandon Kalu (88m) | ||
17 | Ronan Hutchins (66m) | ||
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“Remember, remember, the 5th of November” became a day to forget for Northwood as Middlesex rivals Uxbridge claimed the local bragging rights on a damp afternoon at Honeycroft.
Woods welcomed back defenders James Gurteen and Junior Paiva with Harry Gallagher and Brandon Kalu reverting to the bench while there was a return for midfielder Ricardo Alexander-Greenaway following his recovery from hamstring trouble, with Ergys Pepaj making way. There was also a change in attack with centre-forward Juwon Akintunde lining up against his former club in the absence of Josh Helmore.
The contest got off to a lively start with chances at both ends as Uxbridge’s Victor Osobu had a shot deflected behind before Woods drew Tyler Tobin out of his box but Jake Tabor was unable to capitalise from the byline with the home goalkeeper momentarily stranded.
The dangerous Osobu was a growing threat to Northwood with a couple of attempts which flew narrowly wide before another shot was blocked by Gurteen while at the other end, Sydney Ibie’s jinking run into the Uxbridge box ended with his shot being diverted wide.
Uxbridge continued to ask questions as Mark Bitmead broke clear after Woods squandered possession, his shot being deflected for a corner while goalkeeper Andrew McCorkell was called into action as he gathered a long- range effort from Joe Jackson.
Northwood were beginning to enjoy a greater share of possession as the half wore on, Akintunde surging into the box but having his shot charged down with Micah Jackson’s follow-up being dealt with by Tobin before Akintunde played in Ibie whose shot was deflected behind once again.
Woods continued to probe as Gurteen got on the end of a Jackson corner but was unable to get the required connection on his header before Carl Stewart strode forward from the middle of the park but his speculative attempt flew wide of the target.
But it was Uxbridge who got their noses in front a minute before the break as Jackson’s low shot took a slight deflection off the boot of Gurteen which was enough to wrong foot McCorkell un the Northwood goal.
Woods almost posted an immediate response as Akintunde latched into a Jackson flick-on but his shot was kept out by the home defence.
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PHOTOS by James Brown
The second half began at a good tempo with Luke Tingey seeing his shot blocked from a Jackson corner while at the other end, Scott Donnelly’s shot deflected off the far upright before being cleared away. And Northwood continued to press but the cutting edge was still missing as Gurteen failed to capitalise on a free header from another Jackson corner before Akintunde was foiled by Tobin.
The game was becoming increasingly physical with Jackson being cautioned for a challenge on Mark Goodman with the Uxbridge players calling for a different colour card. And Jackson was replaced by Ronan Hutchins on 66 minutes as Woods continued to strive for the equaliser with Andy Lomas, on his 150th Woods appearance, playing a ball into the Uxbridge box which was gathered by Tobin at the second attempt.
But after McCorkell had denied Osobu with his legs after the latter got away from Tingey, there were fireworks of a different kind as Kensley Maloney saw red for a challenge on Andy Lomas, with Josh Andrew perhaps fortunate to only receive a yellow card in the melee which followed as he fired the ball in the direction of the visitors' dugout and full into the face of Head Coach Ben Bukowski.
Northwood set about trying to retrieve something from the game and they went close as a Hutchins free kick found the on-rushing Tingey in the six-yard box, but he lifted his effort over as the assistant referee flagged for offside. And Woods created another opportunity as Lomas sent over a hanging cross which was met by Akintunde at the far post, but his header was easily dealt with by Tobin.
Kalu and Gallagher were added to the fray for the closing minutes with Lomas and Stewart making way, Gallagher being an extra forward for the six minutes of added time.
But the visitors were unable to find a way past the ten men of Uxbridge who comfortably negotiated the remaining minutes to bring Northwood’s four match unbeaten run to an end and leaving them four points clear of second-placed Walton & Hersham.
REPORT by Robin Piper