The Woods progressed to the next round of the Southern League Cup with a narrow victory over an under-strength but still competitive Premier Division Slough Town side. Manager Mark Burgess gave himself a rare recent run-out as he rotated the squad himself, giving a rest to regulars James Burgess, Louis Stead and James Budden.

After an early Gavin Smith effort flew wide for the Rebels, the Woods enjoyed the better of the early stages. Luke Heneghan had a good strike pushed wide by veteran goalkeeper Jamie Jackson, Ismael Ehui fired an effort the wrong side of the post and then Ryan Debattista had a good run and strike that was only just off target.

At the other end, Montel Joseph was brought into his first action on 18 minutes, comfortably gathering a low strike from Gurkan Gokmen while an attempted clearance from Louis Bircham also tested his own goalkeeper but the Woods continued to enjoy the better of the game.

Shots rained in from Bircham, Channing Campbell-Young and Heneghan as the half progressed but the Woods were lacking the killer instinct in front of goal while Slough lost their main attacking hope Lewis Putman who limped off on 38 minutes.

The Rebels were gifted a good chance on 42 minutes as Joseph made a poor clearance and Smith’s attempt at a first-time shot into an empty net took a big deflection and bounced up and over the bar. From the resulting corner Jon Palmer had a free header but mistimed it and the ball flew wide.

But just a minute into the second half a sweeping move saw the Woods take a vital lead with Alex Nolan getting forward down the right and cutting the ball back for Ismael Ehui to sweep it home. Jackson did well to keep out a strike from Andre Costa after 58 minutes and then recovered the loose ball under pressure too as the Woods looked to take the game away from Slough but the visitors went close again ten minutes later as Palmer steered another free header wide of the goal.

It could have been all over on 73 minutes as Debattista was put through on goal but Jackson was equal to his powerful shot, getting his hand to it to push the ball over the bar. Substitute Callum Wright knocked the corner into the near post where Louis Stead flicked a header that flashed just over the bar. Stead and Ehui combined to set up Stephenson for a close-range volley that flew over the top and then Heneghan did well before firing a shot across goal that was only just wide of the far post.

It remained a very open game as Slough looked to salvage a draw and the penalty shoot-out that would follow. A deep cross from James Dobson saw Smith head back across goal but Burgess cleared and then a free-kick from Dobson was always swinging wide of the far post. The Rebels forced a series of late corners for which ‘keeper Jackson joined the attack but the Woods stayed strong and Joseph claimed the ball on a couple of occasions to ensure that he kept a much sought after clean sheet.

Northwood’s reward for the victory is another home tie against fellow Central Division side Chalfont St Peter in January with a place in the quarter-finals for the second successive year at stake.