MATCH REPORTS 2008-09
 

NORTHWOOD RES. 3   BOREHAM WOOD RES. 2
 

Northwood started this Suburban League fixture with a new-look formation of 3-5-2 and for the first ten minutes or so were all at sea. However, they soon settled, with James Linehan, Scott Purdue and Anthony Page taking full control of the game.

After 25 minutes, and with Northwood doing all the pressing, the break finally came when a sweeping move down the right-hand side ended with a cross from Aryan Taj that was slotted home at the far post by Russell Miner for a scoring debut.

Northwood continued to push for a second and it didn't take long in coming when the impressive Linehan hit a wicked looking cross to the back post, where Anthony Page rose above everybody to power home a good header.

The Woods were now in total control and could have done without the half time whistle. After the break a rejuvenated Boreham Wood side started to assert themselves more, but still Northwood looked comfortable - until an innocent looking cross from the right was missed by the central defenders, leaving the striker with an easy tap-in to pull them back into the game.

The game became a bit scrappy but the visitors were getting stronger so Manager Mark Barnham made a tactical change and swapped back to a more familiar formation of 4-4-2 with Taj and the injured Linehan being replaced by Jon Daily and James Crockford.

All was looking solid until a bad mistake from Carl Hunt gifted the ball to Boreham Wood in a dangerous position, and they duly punished Northwood with a clinical finish.

The game now ebbed and flowed from end to end, and Northwood started to create the better chances, especially with Dan Power and Laurie Walters causing havoc down the left hand side.

The breakthrough came just five minutes from time when Carl Hunt made up for his earlier error, collecting the ball some 40 yards from goal, racing forward ten yards and hitting an unstoppable shot into the top corner.

This knocked the stuffing out of the visitors and left Northwood to pick up the three points, even having time for a fourth goal being ruled out for a foul on the keeper.