Northwood’s trip to Bedfordshire proved to be a fruitless one as they were beaten by play-off hopefuls AFC Dunstable at a wintery Creasey Park. The revolving door continues to spin at Chestnut Avenue with Charley Barker returning to parent club Leyton Orient, Lewis Hobbs moving into midfield to fill the void with former Barnet youngster Keir Dickson coming in for his Woods debut at left-back.
Northwood seemed to adapt quicker to the icy conditions underfoot, the pitch having passed a pre-match inspection but perfectly playable and their neat, incisive approach play created an early opening for Evans Kouassi but his shot was comfortably dealt with by goalkeeper Jamie Head.
Dunstable’s strike partnership of Jermaine Hall and Bernard Christie has terrorised many a defence this season and the pair combined well to create the host’s first chance of the afternoon but Northwood ‘keeper Xavi Comas was equal to Hall’s shot. Christie then tried his luck from distance but his shot failed to trouble Comas.
Woods maintained their confident start and a slick move led to Meshach Williams creating space for a shot but Head was down quickly to save at the near-post while at the other end, Comas saved well from Terry Griffiths after Northwood failed to clear a corner.
The game now had a nice ebb and flow which was credit to both sides given the conditions. Nathan Frater, former Wood Louis Bircham and Hall all went close for the hosts, while Sam Oyeniran and Kouassi threatened for Northwood. However, the visitors desire to over elaborate and the lack of penetration in the final third was beginning to look all too familiar, Jermaine Osei the next to go close as his shot from a Wilson Chingoka pass was deflected for a corner.
And Woods’ wastefulness was punished as Nathan Frater’s speculative chip from the edge of the box deceived Comas to give Dunstable the lead on 26 minutes. Northwood looked to respond and Dickson made a strong foray into Dunstable territory before finding Osei whose curling effort was smartly turned round the post by Head. But the hosts were quick to counter with Bircham seeing his attempted chip rebound off the Woods’ crossbar.
And there were further chances for both sides as an entertaining half drew to a close, Oyeniran being denied by Head as he latched onto Andrew Camilo-Tayaca’s cross before Christie shot wide for the hosts when well placed.
Northwood began the second period in a positive fashion, with good work from Dickson once again creating an opening for Osei but his shot failed to trouble Head before the Dunstable ‘keeper saved smartly from Kouassi. And Osei was involved once more as he tried his luck from distance but his effort flew the wrong side of the upright.
However, Northwood’s positivity slowly evaporated, allowing the hosts to gain control of proceedings with one or two of the men in red shirts appearing to go missing as weather conditions worsened. Comas produced a flying save to divert Bircham’s long range effort before the latter’s corner caused panic in the visitors’ defence as Hall’s shot was blocked and Griffiths’ follow-up shot deflected off the woodwork.
The hosts made a double substitution as they sought the second goal to drive home their advantage, Drew Roberts entering the fray and he almost kept up his remarkable strike rate against Northwood but his shot rolled agonisingly wide of the upright with Comas beaten. Paulo Montella was introduced as a 75th minute substitute for Northwood as a replacement for Oyeniran but the attacking momentum continued for Dunstable with Comas quickly off his line to deny Christie in a one on one situation.
However, the Northwood rearguard was finally breached as Christie despatched a shot into the bottom corner after Woods failed to clear their lines to give the hosts a two goal lead in the 79th minute. Woods made a second substitution as Jermaine Osei was replaced by Femi Azeez but there was to be no way back with Williams’ speculative shot, which flew wide of the target the last moment of note on another disappointing afternoon for Northwood. |