Uxbridge 4 Northwood 2
Saturday 30th September 2023
NORTHWOOD | |||
1 | Beau Hudd | ||
2 | Teddy Stacey | ||
3 | Deago Dunbar Bonnie | ||
4 | Carl Stewart | ||
5 | Luke Tingey © | ||
6 | Romario Jonas | ||
7 | Osaretin Otote | ||
8 | Riccardo Alexander-Greenaway (46m) | ||
9 | Dan Williams | ||
10 | Sam Jenkins (77m) | ||
11 | Kofi Anokye-Boad | ||
Substitutes | |||
12 | Luke Brophy | ||
14 | Harry McCorkell | ||
15 | Jack Smith (46m) | ||
16 | Curtis Brown (77m) | ||
17 | Jaden Newman | ||
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Northwood’s poor run of results continued as they fell to a third successive league defeat this time at the hands of local rivals Uxbridge. There was a different feel to this ‘local’ derby with the match being played in the unfamiliar surrounds of Slough Town’s Arbour Park with the Reds’ return to a revamped Honeycroft being delayed by a couple of weeks.
Woods had to face the challenge of an in-form Uxbridge without the services once more of goalkeeper Andrew McCorkell who was serving the last of his three-match ban with 18-year-old Beau Hudd replacing the injured Matt Messer between the sticks. There was a change in the back line with Harry Gallagher missing out with a swollen ankle which meant Teddy Stacey dropped back to right-back, while Sam Jenkins replaced Harry McCorkell in midfield.
Uxbridge were quickly out of the blocks with former Northwood man Alex Witham shooting narrowly wide before Hudd gathered a Josh Andrew cross under pressure from Witham. And the Reds duly took the lead, albeit with a little help from Woods, as Deago Dunbar-Bonnie earned himself a caution as he impeded Brad Pagliaroli on the edge of the box – the Uxbridge winger curling a delightful free-kick over the wall and beyond the reach of Hudd on nine minutes.
Northwood threatened an early response with a Luke Tingey throw into the box which lead to a lay-off from Jenkins into the path of Osaretin Otote whose shot narrowly cleared the far upright. But Uxbridge were soon back on the attack with Kai Hobbs sending a dangerous ball across the face of goal with no red shirt to apply the finish while Hudd had to show good reflexes to keep out a Tingey deflection from Andrew’s cross.
However, Northwood were unable to resist another incisive Uxbridge attack as the ball was worked across to Andrew whose low cross was met by Bernard Mensah as he got in between defenders to convert from close-range to extend the lead on 23 minutes.
Woods had offered very little up to this point but finished the first half on a more positive note with several promising moves – Kofi Anokye-Boadi seeing his shot deflected behind for a corner while Jenkins had a couple of attempts which failed to find the target.
Northwood made a change to their midfield at the break with Jack Smith being introduced for Riccardo Alexander-Greenaway and the visitors began the second period at a good tempo with an Otote pullback finding Dan Williams who saw his shot cleared off the Uxbridge line.
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PHOTOS by James Brown
Woods continued to press with renewed vigour and they were rewarded with a goal on 56 minutes, Williams converting after the Reds failed to clear Dunbar-Bonnie’s near post corner.
Having pulled themselves back into the contest, Northwood went looking for an equaliser, with Uxbridge keeper Loris Marcimain gathering a shot from Jenkins before Smith saw his shot deflected wide. And Woods thought they had restored parity as an Alan Hedley interception of Anokyi-Boadi’s low cross cannoned off the underside of the bar and appeared to cross the line, but the Northwood appeals were waved away by the match officials.
And Woods’ feelings of injustice was compounded as Uxbridge delivered the sucker-punch as they capitalised on a rare slip from Tingey who gifted possession to substitute Ezra Ndukuba who gave Hudd no chance with a clinical finish to restore the two-goal advantage on 72 minutes.
Northwood dusted themselves down and they were back in the contest two minutes later as they reduced the arrears as Williams played the ball through to Carl Stewart who squared for Jenkins who calmy rolled the ball beyond Marcimain for his first goal of the season.
Woods made their second substitution as goal scorer Jenkins made way for attacker Curtis Brown. But the visitors had some defending to do as Hudd was on hand to keep out an effort from Ndukuba.
Northwood kept up their attacking momentum with Uxbridge looking increasingly ragged at the back. And Woods were presented with a golden opportunity to draw level as Lewis Pegg handled Otote’s cross in the box - Marcimain going the right way as he kept out Smith’s 84th minute penalty attempt.
Woods were deflated by the penalty miss and Uxbridge rubbed salt into the wounds as they sealed the points with a fourth goal a minute from time through substitute Dean Morgan – a disappointing end to an afternoon that could have been so much more for Northwood.
REPORT by Robin Piper