Northwood ended their long losing streak with an important point from this trip to mid-table Bedford Town as they battled to a goalless draw. Manager Simon Lane continued to ring the changes, with two new players making their Woods debuts with Isaac Olorunfemi replacing Pat Kelly who has returned to his native America while Leo Pedro increased their attacking options in place of the injured Harry Newman. But there were other changes too and a welcome return to the defence for skipper Brad Hewitt alongside Tommy Boxer.

The home side were hit by a series of injury problems themselves and the Woods made a bright start with Jermaine Osei slipping Evans Kouassi down the right in the very first minute but his cross flew across goal without a touch.

Bedford had the first shot on goal after twelve minutes when a series of passing movements around the edge of the box eventually gave a chance to Andrew Phillips but he shot wide.

Just a minute later a ball forward saw Osei get in behind his marker and attempt to lob the oncoming goalkeeper Kyle Forster but the ball was cleared by a covering defender. The Woods best chance came on 16 minutes as Kouassi knocked in a corner that was met by a downward header from Boxer but the ball bounced up kindly into Forster’s hands.

The home side hit back with Josh Oyibo playing a good ball forward but Brendan Hazlett made a good save, pushing a shot wide of the post.

The lively Osei then had a couple of chances in quick succession. The first, from a ball from Boxer, saw him fail to control the through ball but the second saw Kouassi rob James Peters of the ball and they race into the box. He chose the cross rather than the shot and Osei met it with a first-time volley but the ball flashed well wide of the target.

Peters, who had picked up a gash above his eye in a clash of heads with Osei a little earlier, succumbed at that stage to leave Bedford weakened further but the Woods were unable to take particular advantage with Hewitt heading over from a Kouassi corner their only effort on goal before the break.

Kouassi found space for a shot that was always going wide soon after the restart while Ryan Auger had a similar effort for the Eagles soon after.

Meshach Williams replaced Pedro who had made little impact after 55 minutes but it was the home side that threatened over the next ten minutes. A header from a corner was cleared by Wilson Chingoka and then a free-kick picked out Oyibo who headed wide.

After 68 minutes the Woods missed a good chance as Osei played a neat ball down the right and Kouassi was through on goal but his shot only found the side-netting.

The game petered out a little with neither side looking like breaking the deadlock. Oyibo shot wide for the Eagles while Phillips fired across goal with George Robinson clearing the danger.

For the Woods, substitute Arash Abdollahi added a bit of impetus but his one sight of goal went the same way as many others as his shot flew just wide of the target.