Report by ALAN EVANS

Having gone through the warm-up process with two ex-Northwood sides playing each other back in early May, this was the more serious stuff as a carefully selected squad of eighteen of the best and of a certain age returned to the hallowed turf. This time they were really testing themselves against a classy Three Lions squad that play regularly throughout the year including international tournaments at home and abroad.

Sadly, Woods manager Mick Harvey reported ill on the morning of the game so another former Northwood manager John Walsh kindly took over for the day in the player-manager role that he held some thirty or so years ago. The soon to be 64-year-old Walsh organised the back-line superbly.

England had their own non-League legend Mark Bellingham, the famous father of Jude and Jobe and scorer of over 700 goals in his non-League career, up front and he was a handful for the Woods defence throughout and their short and steady passing was a delight at times.

On another hot day, there was fifteen minutes on the clock when Dave Bastien whipped in a superb left-foot cross for Bellingham to open England’s account for the afternoon and just five minutes later, Bellingham turned provider with a chip across the box which found Kerry Giddings in too much space and he added the second.

Gary Williams might have been awarded a penalty after a bustling run into the box but claims were waved away. Then the Woods should have pulled one back after 32 minutes when Alistair Heselton, who was playing on his 43rd birthday, unselfishly set up Scott Fitzgerald to fire home, only for former Brighton goalkeeper Mark Ormerod to make a superb block and deny him.

Woods goalkeeper Kevin Beckles was obliged to play the whole match due to a struggle to find a second keeper for the match and he made an excellent save to deny a possible third goal a few minutes before the half-time break and the half finished just after Dave Nolan made a brilliant tackle on Bellingham to halt his progress into the box.

Three minutes into the second half and the Woods Legends were denied again from getting back into the game. Gavin Hart did well down the right, taking the ball past former Lewes and Farnborough skipper Steve Robinson and then Ormerod but his goalbound shot was somehow blocked on the line by the outstretched foot of Robinson getting across to cover.

Beckles saved well again with his feet as England started to threaten again down the right flank and then the Woods were then hit by two quick goals in succession. Brenton Amedee rose powerfully at the far post to head home a corner and then midfielder Dave Smith showed great skill to chip Beckles from distance – it looked in all the way.

A fifth goal followed when Ian Daniell got forward and fired home but then Northwood countered and finally got the goal their performance deserved, though somewhat fortuitously as Kevin Dobson whipped in a cross which an England defender fired into his own net!

Ron Jeffery beat an offside shout and kept his cool to fire in a sixth soon after that though and that’s how the game ended with both sides having enjoyed the contest.

The oldest player on the field was 74-year-old Nigel Franklin, who played for the Woods between 1974 and 1982 and enjoyed a fifteen-minute run-out.

There were exactly 3,053 appearances for the Woods made by this squad of eighteen players and the club thank all of them for coming down and showing their love of Northwood Football Club once more in a great cause.

Just as importantly, a crowd of around 100, together with donations from all the competitors helped to raise a grand total of £1,125 for our local chosen charity partners, Mount Vernon Cancer Centre.

Our sincere thanks go to our match officials, Andy Tooley, Steve Conway and Luke Partington who also gave their services for the cause.

Photos by SEAN MOORE

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