MATCH REPORTS 2007-08
 

The reserves did it again on Wednesday night, following up their 5-0 demolition of Boreham Wood last week with a similar victory over Hemel Hempstead.

Mark Barnham was able to name a similar team, with the addition of two first-team players looking for a game after injury in Dwane Williams and Chris Mills, while the visitors fielded Chris Wild, Fabio Valenti and Leon Hibbert in their starting line-up.

It was another entertaining game with both sides playing some neat football, but the Woods were soon in command. Danny Brown enjoyed an outstanding first-half, and after only eight minutes he played a superb ball through the centre for Chris Mills and the midfielder steered his shot past goalkeeper Luke O'Connell.

Another Brown centre picked out Douglas Kisuule but his shot was comfortably saved, before Hemel responded with Lee Simper getting on the end of a Hibbert ball but chipping his shot wide of the target.

Mills tried his luck from 30 yards after 22 minutes with a shot which O'Connell only just kept out, but the second goal wasn't far away and was the result of a mistake from the 'keeper. His kick out was blocked by Adrian Abramian, who was quick to set up Kisuule for a simple finish.

At the other end, Simon Dean got down well to keep out a Valenti free-kick low to the foot of the post and then the Woods really turned the screw.

After 31 minutes it was Brown the instigator once again with a run down the right, beating one defender, getting it back off the shins of another and then cutting the ball back for Mills to rifle home a shot from just outside the box.

Four minutes later a long ball caught the Tudors’ defence napping once again and this time it was Brown on the end of it, chipping O'Connell from 30 yards to leave the 'keeper stranded.

More could have followed before half-time, with O'Connell denying Mills a possible hat-trick with a fine save and then Nicky Pearce heading a Mills ball across the face of goal and just wide.

The second-half took a while to warm up but then an excellent move from the visitors saw Aurele Champion set up Adiel Mannion but his shot was comfortably saved by Dean.

The Woods countered and Abramian made room for a shot which was well stopped by O'Connell. Williams and Mills, having enjoyed a helpful run-out, were replaced by Phil Holder and Aryan Taj after 56 minutes.

Dale Fisher forced Dean into a one-handed save a few minutes later but then Northwood turned up the pressure again, with James Linehan seeing his powerful strike pushed out and when Taj knocked the loose ball back across the six-yard box, Kisuule skied his shot from close-range. Then Taj and Abramian exchanged passes, setting up the latter for a clever shot which whistled just over the bar.

Even left-back Shane Campbell got in on the act when a mazy dribble saw him beat two, but then strike a shot which was too high.

Hemel appeared to have gone into the game with a bare eleven players and seemed to be tiring as the Woods brought on their last substitute, Jason Dean replacing Abramian who had taken a knock, but just three minutes later Linehan picked up a knock, so Northwood had to play the final fifteen minutes with ten men.

Despite this, the defence stayed very solid, with the only chance falling to Fisher, who put a cross from Mukuka Kapilikisha over the bar.

The victory took the Woods to the top of the West Division table, ahead of reigning champions Dulwich Hamlet on goal difference.