The search for a first win under acting manager Gordon Boateng goes on for Northwood as they were beaten by play-off bound Cambridge City in an entertaining encounter at Chestnut Avenue.

Woods welcomed back Meshach Williams, who resumed his right-sided attacking role with Femi Azeez reverting to the subs bench, while Keir Dickson returned at left-back in place of Temiloluwa Oladejo.

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Northwood suffered the worst possible start as ‘keeper Borja Loeches-Teixeira was surprisingly beaten by a long range strike from Salom Relizanz to give the visitors the lead on five minutes.

Ryan Sharman and Ben Seymour-Shove both went close to extending the visitors’ lead before Jermaine Osei rattled the Cambridge crossbar with a fierce shot after latching onto a Williams  through-ball.

Cambridge continued to look dangerous and they extended their lead on 33 minutes as Ebby Nelson-Addy converted the rebound after Loaches-Teixeira had spilled Sharman’s initial effort.

Woods needed to find something before the break and after Osei had an earlier penalty appeal waved away, Wilson Chingoka reduced the arrears with the last kick of the first half with an emphatic strike from the edge of the box.

However, Northwood’s task was made more difficult as they conceded a third goal three minutes into the second period, James Hall sending a shot from out wide arrowing into the far top corner of the net to restore his side’s two goal advantage.

Azeez was introduced for Williams on 54 minutes and Woods were showing signs that they might yet get something out the game. Evans Kouassi dragged a shot wide of the far post after being played in by Osei before the latter saw his snap-shot tipped over by City ‘keeper Josh Bexon. And Northwood were rewarded for their endeavours as they pulled a goal back on 79 minutes as Kouassi finished off a swift counter-attack with a fine finish.

Youngster Jamie Fulton, who produced a steady performance on only his second senior outing, was replaced by Sam Afolabi on 85 minutes but Woods were growing increasingly frustrated as the clock ticked down with Cambridge looking to see the game out, Dickson’s name going into the referee’s book.

Proceedings slowly petered out with no further chances at either end, the win securing the visitors’ place in the end of season play-offs while Woods look forward to the visit of Thame United on Saturday and another opportunity to get that elusive win.