Binfield 2 Northwood 2
Saturday 2nd September 2023
NORTHWOOD | |||
1 | Andrew McCorkell | ||
2 | Teddy Stacey | ||
3 | Deago Dunbar Bonnie | ||
4 | Carl Stewart | ||
5 | Luke Tingey © | ||
6 | Harry Gallagher | ||
7 | Sam Jenkins (62m) | ||
8 | Riccardo Alexander-Greenaway | ||
9 | Dan Williams | ||
10 | Jack Smith (63m) | ||
11 | Kofi Anokye Boadi | ||
Substitutes | |||
12 | Luke Brophy (62m) | ||
14 | Ben Crowder | ||
15 | Romario Jonas | ||
16 | Archie Coulter | ||
17 | Osaretin Otote (63m) | ||
18 | Jaden Newman | ||
19 | Matt Messer | ||
|
Northwood lived to fight another day after they overcame a two-goal deficit to force a replay in the second meeting of these league rivals in six days at the newly named Iconic Stadium.
Woods set up with the same formation that finished the Bank Holiday league encounter with Sam Jenkins being deployed in a right-sided role to counter the Moles’ threat from that flank with Osaretin Otote reverting to the bench. There was another change of personnel in the Northwood midfield with Riccardo Alexander-Greenaway returning from injury in place of the unavailable Harry McCorkell.
After Woods threatened from the off with Deago Dunbar-Bonnie getting down Binfield’s left and sending over a cross which was eventually cleared by the home defence, the Moles forced Northwood onto the back foot creating a series of openings – goalkeeper Andrew McCorkell keeping out efforts from Finn Harvey, Rechan Esprit and Liam Campell while Zeid Hannachi and Dontaye Whittaker also went close.
Northwood were looking uncomfortable and disjointed in what was a disappointing opening 20 minutes for the visitors. However, Woods did began to find some attacking cohesion as Jenkins combined with Dunbar-Bonnie who got round the back of the Binfield defence before firing in a near post shot which was turned away by goalkeeper Harvey Rackley-Hayes with the resulting corner seeing Luke Tingey’s header deflected over.
Northwood were offering an increased attacking threat as Jack Smith combined with Kofi Anokye-Boadi on a short corner before sending over a deep cross which was headed back by Tingey to Alexander-Greenaway who headed over. But it was Binfield who went close to taking the lead just before the break as Esprit’s shot deflected wide.
Woods came out unchanged for the second period and in an early attack Anokye-Boadi linked up with Alexander-Greenaway whose intended pass for Jenkins was instinctively diverted by Dan Williams sending the ball looping over Rackley-Hayes but dropping narrowly wide of the upright.
But it was the hosts who managed to break the deadlock in route-one fashion, Rackley-Hayes’ long goal-kick catching out the Northwood backline with Noah Chengun poking the ball beyond the advancing McCorkell with 52 minutes on the clock.
- IMG_8072.jpg
- IMG_8073.jpg
- IMG_8074.jpg
- IMG_8075.jpg
- IMG_8085.jpg
- IMG_8089.jpg
- IMG_8093.jpg
- IMG_8095.jpg
- IMG_8106.jpg
- IMG_8114.jpg
- IMG_8115.jpg
- IMG_8127.jpg
- IMG_8139.jpg
- IMG_8151.jpg
- IMG_8152.jpg
- IMG_8162.jpg
- IMG_8164.jpg
- IMG_8166.jpg
- IMG_8176.jpg
- IMG_8179.jpg
- IMG_8184.jpg
- IMG_8185.jpg
- IMG_8203.jpg
- IMG_8205.jpg
- IMG_8217.jpg
- IMG_8218.jpg
- IMG_8220.jpg
- IMG_8228.jpg
- IMG_8253.jpg
- IMG_8267.jpg
- IMG_8268.jpg
- IMG_8270.jpg
- IMG_8273.jpg
- IMG_8282.jpg
- IMG_8283.jpg
- IMG_8308.jpg
- IMG_8310.jpg
- IMG_8311.jpg
- IMG_8312.jpg
- IMG_8317.jpg
- IMG_8330.jpg
- IMG_8340.jpg
- IMG_8353.jpg
- IMG_8371.jpg
- IMG_8379.jpg
- IMG_8386.jpg
- IMG_8401.jpg
- IMG_8407.jpg
- IMG_8408.jpg
- IMG_8409.jpg
- IMG_8412.jpg
- IMG_8416.jpg
- IMG_8420.jpg
- IMG_8426.jpg
- IMG_8445.jpg
- IMG_8448.jpg
- IMG_8450.jpg
- IMG_8459.jpg
- IMG_8485.jpg
- IMG_8531.jpg
- IMG_8538.jpg
- IMG_8541.jpg
- IMG_8562.jpg
PHOTOS by James Brown
Northwood looked for a response forcing a couple of corners with Alexander-Greenaway going close with a near post attempt from Smith’s delivery. At the other end, Harvey saw his shot cleared off the line. And it was the Moles who extended their lead on 62 minutes as Esprit cut in from the wing and played in Chengun, who calmly slotted the ball beyond McCorkell for his second goal of the afternoon.
Urgent action was required from Woods if they were going to retrieve an increasingly perilous situation and they made a double substitution with Otote and Luke Brophy replacing Jenkins and Smith. And the visitors were immediately back in the contest on 64 minutes as Tingey’s long throw found its way to Harry Gallagher who crashed the ball into the roof of the net for his second goal of the week.
Woods were buoyed by the goal with Carl Stewart trying his luck from distance before Dunbar-Bonnie combined with Anokye-Boadi creating an opportunity for Otote who saw his volley deflect wide.
Northwood kept their foot on the gas and the equaliser duly arrived on 72 minutes as Deago Dunbar-Bonnie collected a short corner to drill home a low shot from the angle of the box for his first goal for the club.
Both sides went in search of a winning strike with Tingey executing a timely block to deny Esprit before Otote's low cross almost found Dunbar-Bonnie in great position to convert.
Chances continued to be created at both ends – McCorkell quickly out to deny Michak Stanic-Stewart before Anokye-Boadi released the impressive Dunbar-Bonnie into the Binfield box but he was halted by a superb tackle from George Winser.
Woods kept pushing as another Tingey throw caused alarm in the Moles’ box with Gallagher’s effort being cleared off the line by Harvey before the hosts successfully defended a couple of corners.
But with the contest moving into eight minutes of stoppage time of which only five materialised, it was Binfield who went closest to winning the tie as Esprit fired into the side-netting when well placed – a draw a fair outcome after a pulsating afternoon of cup football with both sides contemplating a third meeting in eight days for the replay.
REPORT by Robin Piper