Northwood slipped to their first away defeat of 2019 after a poor second half display saw Ashford claiming the points in this mid-table clash at the Robert Parker Stadium.
There were a number of changes of personnel from the midweek Charity Cup win at AFC Hayes. Woods welcomed back Imran Uche with Dan Newton switching to right-back and Sam Jenkins moving to left-back in place of Matt Cooper, with Miguel Matos not deemed fit enough to start. Yahya El-Khabouche, Dan Pett and Chris Gosling returned to the midfield in place of Kieran Asumadu-Sakyi, Leigh Stevens and Jabir Laraba while Tremayne Charles replaced Kyran Worrell on the right wing.
The contest was a scrappy affair in the early stages as both sides struggled to get to grips with the bumpy surface. However, there were a couple of chances at both ends, James Cottee shooting into the arms of Northwood keeper Luke Sheldrick while Dan Pett's close-range shot was blocked following good work from Charles with Jenkins directing a near post header wide from the ensuing corner.
And Charles was instrumental in Northwood taking a 22nd minute lead as he latched onto Newton's ball pulling it back for Zaied Sabti who executed an emphatic finish into the roof of the net. The goal settled Northwood, who proceeded to ask further questions of the Tangerines defence, Charles and Sabti going close before Alex Witham hooked his shot over from Uche's knockdown following Sabti's corner.
Woods suffered a scare when Newton's attempted header back to Sheldrick almost let in Cottee whose shot was scrambled away. However, Northwood were not so fortunate as the hosts drew level on 37 minutes as Cottee headed home unchallenged as he latched onto Jack Beadle's free-kick.
The visitors looked for a response and they twice went close before the half-time break, Pett being denied by keeper Tyler Tobin after a neat through-ball from Charles before the latter saw his rasping shot cannon off the Ashford crossbar after Witham created the opening.
Northwood would have been hoping for more of the same after the half-time break, but it was the Tangerines who threatened through Cottee and Samad Kazi. And Woods were the architects of their own downfall as they squandered numerous chances to clear their lines before Gurkan Gokmen fired in a shot from the edge of the box to give Ashford the lead on 50 minutes.
Northwood had rarely threatened in the second period, Sabti's hooked volley over the bar from Newton's cross a rare half chance. And Sheldrick continued to be the busier of the goalkeepers as he denied Beadle and former Wood Nebay Haile.
Woods made a double substitution on 66 minutes as Worrell and Kweku Lucan were introduced for Sabti and Charles respectively. But they were struggling to regain the rhythm they had enjoyed in the opening half and it was the hosts who threatened again as Sheldrick dealt with a shot from Beadle.
Lucan found himself in a good position from which his cross shot was dealt comfortably with by Tobin in a rare moment of attacking note from Woods. Northwood made their last change as Pett made way for Laraba but the hosts looked increasingly in control as Woods continued to make little impression.
And it was Ashford who went close in the latter stages as Sheldrick denied substitute Leo Decabo, Woods unable to rescue a point with a defeat which sees them slip one place in the table. |