Northwood Res. 1  Hastings United Res. 0 

Saturday 8th December 2012

NORTHWOOD RESERVES		Suburban Lge Premier Div B
		At Northwood Park
Team line-up		Northwood scorer: Obeng
1	Garry Malone
2	Ken Obeng
3	Alex Ishola
4	Michael Dixon (80m)
5	George Chater-Clarke
6	Corrie Ellis
7	Harry Wright
8	Adil Salih
9	Chinnua Cole (68m)
10	Theo Hunte
11	Rashid Oddabi
Substitutes
12	Saul Otobo (68m)
14	Jeffrey Twumasy
15	Chris Nguh (80m)
16	Frederick Barror
17	Leban Wais

Northwood Reserves got their first win last Saturday under the new management team of Errol Dyer and Roger Linton. Hastings United were a strong, well-organised side and, despite getting stuck in traffic for several hours on the way to the game, they helped to make it a thoroughly entertaining afternoon with both sides going full on with end-to-end attacking football. Dyer and Linton have added nine new players to the squad; with four making their full debuts and five on the bench, the team gelled instantly and performed remarkably well considering they had never played together before. The four new players – Ken Obeng, Michael Dixon, Corrie Ellis and Theo Hunte – added much needed strength and backbone to the Woods defence and midfield, and they all coped well on a heavy boggy pitch.

Harry Wright, returning to the side after his recent trip to Africa, went close to scoring in the first half with a free-kick just outside the box that was well saved by the Hastings keeper on 16 minutes. Two minutes later Rashid Obbadi also had a free-kick well saved from an almost identical position. Woods continued to pile the pressure on and were unlucky to not take the lead on 19 minutes when first Wright’s corner was pushed out by the Hastings keeper as it threatened to sneak in the near post directly from his corner, and moments later from George Chater-Clarke’s effort from the resulting corner.

The game continued to flow end to end throughout the first half, and Woods were again unlucky not to score from a good effort from Adil Salih that just went the other side of the post from 25 yards out. Hastings were awarded a free kick just outside the box in injury time and when the ball came back off the bar their striker tapped in the rebound, but the “goal” was ruled out as he had wandered offside.



Woods took the lead in the 54th minute when Obeng, driving forward from the back, chipped the Hastings keeper from around 30 yards on the right hand side touchline. Wright went close from a similar chip three minutes later from an almost identical position; this time the ball sailed just over the bar. Chinnau Cole found himself through on goal on 60 minutes from a neat through ball from Wright, but his shot went wide of the post. Woods were unlucky not to get a penalty on 67 minutes when Wright was pull down just inside the box from another free flowing Northwood attack. Saul Otobo replaced Cole on 68 minutes and Chris Nguh came on for Michael Dixon in the 80th minute.

Garry Malone ensured the Woods took all three points with two good saves late on; the first diving at the Hastings striker’s feet as he ran on to a through ball just inside the box, and the second from a diving save at full stretch from a fierce shot by the same striker from 25 yards out.

Overall, this was an excellent team performance, with every player including the two substitutes giving 100% commitment and effort and deservedly securing the win and much needed three points for the Woods reserves.