Northwood moved up to eighth place in the table after a comfortable three-nil win over Ashford Town under the direction of Scott Dash, Kevin Lawrence and Richard Elderfield following the departure of manager Dean Barker.

A brace from Ben Pattie and a great long-range strike from Sam Tring helped Northwood record their first league win in just under a month. Two changes were made from Northwood’s last match as they switched to a new-look 3-5-2 formation, with Sam Jenkins and Dan Pett replacing Keir Dickson and Emmanuel Melford-Rowe.

Northwood started off quickly and in the first minute of the game, they almost had the opener. A lovely through ball from Pattie played Kweku-Conrad Lucan through one on one, but his shot was saved by Ashford’s goalkeeper Brannon Daly.

Eight minutes later and Northwood broke the deadlock. A Matt Cooper free kick caused a scramble in the box, with Pattie being in the right place at the right time to put the ball in the back of the net.

14 minutes into the game, a lovely move from Northwood and Pattie grabbed his second goal in six minutes.  A bulldozing run from Lucan on the right flank, Ashford’s defenders tried to foul him but he stayed on his feet to play an inch-perfect across goal pass towards Pett, who dummied the ball for Pattie to finish off.

Four minutes later and Northwood could have got their third goal of the day. Lucan is played through on goal, with Ashford’s goalkeeper rushing out the Northwood winger tried to chip the ball into the goal, but it goes just wide of the post.

Ashford had not created many chances in the first 30 minutes, that was until Joe Green, Ashford’s left-back, played a teasing ball across the goal, but nobody was there to tap it in.

With the first half coming to an end Northwood had another big chance, with Matt Cooper seeing his ball cleared off the line.

Into the second half and under the floodlit pitch Ashford had a flurry of chances, but nothing coming close to test Luke Sheldrick.

The chances had no impact on the Woods’ confidence, 61 minutes into the game and a 20-yard strike from Tring nestled into the bottom right corner of the net. Three-nil up, and there was no way back for Ashford Town.

Mark Bitmead looked the most likely to grab a consolation goal for the visiting side. A fierce free kick from just outside the box was well caught by Sheldrick. Five minutes later and Bitmead had another opportunity, but this time his shot smashed the outside of the post.

The last minute of the match Ashford thought they got the goal they were so desperately looking for, but unfortunately for them, it was called offside.