Report by ALAN EVANS

Northwood travelled up to Northamptonshire for their first FA Challenge Vase contest since a 2-0 defeat at Chippenham Town back in December 1999, for this away fixture against Rothwell Corinthians. Their opponents, who the Woods were meeting for the first-ever time, play in Division One of the Spartan South Midlands League and went into the game still looking for their first victory after one point from two league matches.

The visitors made several changes to their starting line-up once more with Mustafa Tiryaki returning at the back as skipper while Kacper Orlowski was back between the sticks. Pierce McNamara came in for the departed Armani Morris while Josh Havard was in for his starting debut and assistant manager Liam Enver-Marum was given a rest with Zack Ingham-Wright starting instead.

In just the second minute, Orlowski launched a long free-kick towards the home penalty-area. Tiryaki came towards it to meet the ball with a header on the edge of the box but so had goalkeeper Stephen Popland and a flick on beat his punch and flew into the back of the unguarded net for the opening goal. It was the former Tranmere striker, now defender’s first Woods goal.

The Northwood skipper was next to go close again on ten minutes as he swept a shot goalwards from a corner but this time Popland was able to save at the second grab and just a minute later, the home side were back on level terms. A good strike beat Orlowski but came back off the crossbar and Dean McBride was on hand to knock in the loose ball.

The Woods looked to hit back quickly and Orlowski flighted another free-kick into the box from distance which saw Tiryaki flick another header goalwards and Popland had to do well to stretch out an arm and parry the ball over the top.

It was after 22 minutes that Tiryaki again proved a thorn in the side of the Corinthians as Amara Fofana laid a ball off to the veteran some 25 yards out and his angled strike flew into the top corner to give the keeper no chance.

The home side still threatened on the break and Orlowski was forced into a good save after 31 minutes, tipping a fierce shot over the bar while the Woods also went close two minutes later when Reon Smith-Kouassi worked space for a strike which Popland just managed to scramble wide of the far post.

Almost immediately, the Woods notched a third goal as Smith-Kouassi battled well to get in a cross from the by-line which might have been cleared by either home goalkeeper or defender but neither committed and Ingham-Wright pounced between them to stab the ball home from close-range.

It was a comfortable lead at the break which saw Rothwell bring on sub goalkeeper Jordan Harris and there was a slower start to the second-half until Smith-Kouassi latched onto a ball from Nathan Akandi and curled a shot just wide of the far post on 56 minutes.

Northwood made their first substitution two minutes later with David Gillespie replacing Kieron Lake-Bryan and on 62 minutes they grabbed a fourth goal as Smith-Kouassi showed good strength to get in front of his marker and hold off a challenge from behind to steer a shot past Harris in goal to record his first Woods goal.

A triple substitution from the visitors disrupted their flow a little and the home side almost took advantage when McBride should have scored when given a free header from a corner but the crossbar came to the Woods rescue. But they did pull another goal back after 77 minutes with a good strike from substitute Josh Jackson, though surely only a consolation? Well, as it turned out, yes, it was.

On 83 minutes, Northwood were awarded a free- kick in a dangerous area just outside the box. Enver-Marum, on as a late substitute, seemed the likely candidate to take it but in fact he left it to Tiryaki who curled the ball neatly over the wall and inside the near-post to complete a sublime hat-trick. Keeper Harris collided with the post in his efforts to keep the ball out and needed several minutes of treatment before being taken off bandaged up and striker McBride took over the gloves for the closing stages.

He was tested twice. Smith-Kouassi cut in from the left and beat him with a shot to the near-post that came back off the woodwork and then substitute Lombardi hit a low effort which he managed to push away to safety.

Victory earns the Woods a home game in the second qualifying round of the Vase where they take on Combined Counties Division One newcomers Maidenhead Town on 12th September.

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  Hat-trick hero MUSTAFA TIRYAKI