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Barton Rovers 2  Northwood 2

Saturday 26th April 2025

 

NORTHWOOD
     
     
   
1 Dan Hosier
2 Jayden Ashbourne (86m)
3 Brian McGovern
4 Manny Folarin
5 Jack Empson
6 Jack Smith (82m)
7 Sam Folarin
8 Stefan Powell
9 Devonte Totesaut (86m)
10 Troy Perez-Duah (71m)
11 Josh Williams (46m)
Substitutes
12 Freddie Peploe (86m)
14 Alex Cathline (86m)
15 Rio Connell (46m)
16 Jon-Jo Bates (71m)
17 Freddie Ford (82m)
   

The Woods played out their final game of the season on a warm sunny day at Barton Rovers who were already safely in the play-offs but it still produced an entertaining match which ended all-square.

Northwood were without centre-half Jordan Ajanlekoko so were forced into a reshuffle at the back with Jack Empson moving into the middle, Jayden Ashbourne switching over to right-back and giving a first team debut to Brian McGovern who had been part of the Under 18s side that had won their league title a couple of nights earlier, slotting in at left-back. Brian is following in the footsteps of brother Malachy who made six appearances for the Woods back in early 2017.

Additionally, Stefan Powell returned to the centre where he lined up opposite his brother Martell Powell and Jack Smith started his first game since taking joint charge of the side just over a month ago.

The home side also took the opportunity to rest a few players giving rare starts to goalkeeper Cameron Groom and defender Kai Phelan but top striker Taylor Rhiney started and they had a strong bench to call upon.

And it was Rovers who made the perfect start, getting their noses in front after just six minutes as the Woods conceded a free-kick in a dangerous area and Alfie Warman’s delivery picked out Ryan Neufville who pounced a free header to put the home side ahead.

It could have looked like a long road ahead for the Woods but the current side are made of sterner stuff in recent times and just a minute later, Josh Williams did well down the left, teasing his marker and getting a shot in on goal which Groom could only push away and Devonte Totesaut pounced to equalise; his second goal in two games.

After that exciting start, the two sides mainly cancelled each other out in midfield with only a skied effort from Markel Cousins of note until Northwood were awarded a free-kick of their own on 23 minutes, wide of the left-hand side of the area. Troy Perez-Duah, successful from dead-ball situations recently, hit the ball well but it curled just over the top, skimming the crossbar.

PHOTOS by James Brown

Neither side looked like taking the lead before the break, the only chance falling to Totesaut when he fired wide after another good ball from Williams, both made one half-time change. Rio Connell replaced Williams for the Woods while Barton brought on Robbie Goodman in place of Charlie Milton.

The Woods were almost in front just two minutes after the restart when Totesaut showed good strength to hold the ball up and set up Perez-Duah who’s shot flashed just inches wide of the post. A minute later, Connell made good inroads from the right and probably should have shot himself, preferring to play it across to Totesaut who almost scored, denied only by the outstretched foot of Groom in goal.

Just after Rovers made a double-substitution, Northwood continued to impress with Perez-Duah cutting in from the right for a shot which took a deflection off of Goodman and went just wide. From the resultant corner, Totesaut had a free header which he put narrowly wide. On the hour, the Woods had their best chance to take the lead as Smith slipped a great ball through to Totesaut but his shot was touched onto the bar and over by the home keeper for a fine save.

Rovers lost striker Matt Maloney to injury, replaced by Albie Hall and Hall tried his luck from distance soon after, though he sent his fierce strike into orbit. Two minutes later, Smith’s well-flighted free-kick picked out Empson who floated a header across goal but wide of the far post.

For all their pressure, the Woods hadn’t managed to find the all-important goal and on 70 minutes they gave one away as Empson steered his attempt at a headed clearance into the path of Rhiney who quickly powered a shot past Dan Hosier to put Barton back in front.

Fellow joint manager Jon-Jo Bates entered the fray a minute later, replacing Perez-Duah as the Woods looked for a quick way back into the game. Results weren’t as instant as before and Hosier had to watch an attempted lobbed effort from Hall carefully to palm away from the goal-line but Northwood were back level on 77 minutes.

The hard-working Sam Folarin did the hard work and then played a neat lay-off to Bates who burst into the box and just managed to get his shot past Groom in goal, despite the keeper getting something on it.

Another of the Woods Under 18s, Freddie Ford, replaced Smith as the game entered its final ten minutes and Rovers went very close to regaining the lead when Rhiney’s free-kick came back off the crossbar. Northwood almost snatched it two minutes later though when Sam Folarin shrugged off a foul challenge, advantage played as he raced into the box but he saw his shot saved again by Groom and then put the rebound over the bar.

Freddie Peploe made it three Under 18s players on the field at the end as part of a late double substitution which included Alex Cathline and in the last of the four additional minutes of the match, the Woods almost grabbed all three points with a low strike from Sam Folarin forcing Groom into another diving stop, just scrambling the ball wide of the post.

It was only Northwood’s fourth draw of the season, two of them coming against Rovers, and the extra point proved to be enough to lift them above Stotfold and into sixteenth place in the table, something that looked impossible just a month earlier.

REPORT by Alan Evans

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