The Woods managed to hold on to their long unbeaten away record with this narrow local derby victory at Hanwell Town despite having to play much of the second half with ten men after James Burgess blotted his copybook for the second match in succession. With George Nicholas ruled out with injury, Myles Stephenson was drafted into the starting line-up, while Georges Ehui was rested to give Alex Nolan a first start since his return from injury.

Hanwell were looking for their first home win since early December and they began brightly enough with nippy striker Danilson Vicente getting two shots on target in quick succession, though neither had any real power behind them and goalkeeper Berkley Laurencin collected comfortably each time. Gradually, Northwood began to make some inroads and after 21 minutes Nolan did well to get forward and set up Stephenson for a shot which was blocked by teammate Niko Muir.

But the opening goal followed just a minute later and was the result of a well-worked corner that saw James Budden flick on an Andy Lomas corner and Louis Stead ghosted in to head past goalkeeper Martin Herdman. Three minutes later, Muir could have doubled the lead as he did well to rob Tom Kennedy of the ball thirty yards out and he raced into the box before shooting across the face of goal but also just wide of the far post.

For some reason, the game wasn’t being played in the best of spirits with decisions, some as simple as a throw-in, being questioned on both sides with unfathomable surliness and as a spectacle, the game went downhill from there. Tom Inch hit a free-kick at Laurencin after 33 minutes before Stead picked the first card of the game, for delaying the restart, soon after. Bradley Simmons also fired well wide from distance as the home side tried to get back into the game.

But on 44 minutes, Stephenson got ahead of the Hanwell defence only to be checked just outside the box by Tom Duffy as he shaped to burst into the penalty-area. It must have been a close call but it was only a yellow card for the defender and the free-kick went unrewarded.

If the first-half had lacked a real cutting edge, the second period proved almost a non-event. The main talking point came on 53 minutes as James Burgess mistimed a challenge on the halfway line wide of the centre circle. Advice was offered from both sides and the assistant referee before a red card was eventually shown and the Woods were suddenly down to ten men once again.

But this time Northwood had a goal advantage to defend and they did this very well. Hanwell quickly grew frustrated trying to break down a solid back-line who were helped out by a hard-working midfield that now included Muir. The home side picked up three yellow cards in quick succession while the Woods went closest to scoring. On a rare attack, Stead chipped a good ball forward and Stephenson looped a header that dropped the wrong side of the crossbar.

But Hanwell did start to get closer and on 75 minutes a dangerous cross needed a good clearance from Nolan before another ball in fell to Calum Duffy but he couldn’t get a shot off and Nolan again cleared before Kennedy shot high. Stephenson proved useful in defence, too, as he headed away another Calum Duffy drive while Simmons again failed to hit the target.

Although Hanwell were enjoying the better possession, at the other end Budden headed over from a Stead free-kick while Stephenson also fired wide. Laurencin had hardly been troubled in the Northwood goal and deep into stoppage-time Calum Duffy got his head to the last of a series of corners but he flicked it well wide of the near-post.

Northwood had held on to the much-needed clean sheet and the win extends their unbeaten away record to fifteen matches dating back to the beginning of October. That record will be sorely tested over the next week or so as they continue their road-trip. Promotion-seeking St. Ives Town and AFC Rushden & Diamonds are their hosts on the next two Saturday’s while next midweek they make the long journey down to Petersfield Town. The recent loss of discipline will also mean suspensions will weaken the Woods small squad.