Saturday 12th April 1975
NORTHWOOD WIN THROUGH TO FINAL
BEDFONT 2 NORTHWOOD 4
Northwood handed high-riding Bedfont their heaviest defeat of the season as they won through to the Middlesex League Cup Final, where they will meet Yeading. The Woods could hardly believe the lethargic way in which Bedfont started this game, and they immediately took the initiative to attack.
The hard, bumpy surface made the short pass impossible and Northwood quickly adapted to the conditions, employing a long ball forward for striker Cooper, Franklin and Byrne to run on to.
The Woods got their reward for the good start in the 20th minute when they were awarded a free-kick for obstruction. Gould shot, the goalkeeper failed to hold the ball, and Gary Cooper bravely dived in to head the ball home from six yards.
Northwood kept going forward with midfield man Tommy Evans in fine form, but they needed another goal in the first half to compensate for the strong wind they would face after the interval. This goal just did not come although Cooper went close, so the Woods expected Bedfont to swarm all over them in the second half.
However, within ten minutes of the restart the game was virtually all over bar the shouting when a cheeky overhead kick from Franklin put Byrne away and the Woods were two up. Minutes later Byrne made it 3-0 when he sneaked in to score with a left-foot drive from 12 yards.
Bedfont suddenly lifted themselves and made Woods fight for it, but Tidd made it 4-0.
The home side still kept plugging away, and with a quarter-hour to go they pulled one goal back, although Mills did appear to head it off the line. Then, seconds from time, they scored again through Hale.
Northwood: Kessell, Harman, Gould, Heslop, Mills, Tidd, Evans, Pearce, Franklin, Byrne, Cooper, sub. Stone.
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