Two goals in the final ten minutes earned the Woods the three points this performance deserved, but they left it late after conceding twice early in the second-half.

Manager Gary Meakin was forced into a change at the back with the returning Peter Lyall replacing Junior Osborne who took a knock on Saturday but he also rang the changes as well, bringing in Garry Senior and Aaron Lansiquot up front while young Jack Hutchinson was given his starting debut in midfield in place of Craig White.

In contrast to recent matches, there was a slow start to this contest with Lansiquot’s blocked effort being the only early action in front of goal. After 18 minutes Wayne O’Sullivan chipped to the far post and Lansiquot, making his first start of the season, saw his header saved by goalkeeper Gary Jallow. Two minutes later James McCluskey knocked in a similar ball and this time former Greenford striker Senior flicked his header wide of the target. The Woods were dominating by this stage, and after 22 minutes they spurned a great opportunity as Lyall pumped a long ball down the middle and after a defensive error the ball landed at the feet of O’Sullivan but he steered his shot just the wrong side of the post.

Hutchinson was next to try his luck after a good tackle and exchange of passes with Senior, but he fired wide and then McCluskey finished a good build-up with a curling cross that just eluded everyone and flashed wide of the far post.  After 29 minutes, Jamie Diston was booked for a foul on Hutchinson and from the resulting free-kick, Jallow punched clear, Liam Hind knocked the ball back in and Senior hooked his shot wide of the post.

The home side were given a chance three minutes later when Lyall was adjudged to have fouled just outside the box but Charlie Hill blasted straight at the wall and the Blues best chance of the half came soon after when Zac Joseph cut in from the right but saw his shot well saved by goalkeeper Antony Russell.

But still the Woods finished the half strongly and should have led after 37 minutes when Constant fired back in after a free-kick was half-cleared and the ball fell to O’Sullivan who had time to pick his spot but blazed over the bar from ten yards.

Half-time brought two substitutions with Constant replaced by Romaine Walker while Liam Fowler came on for his first appearance of the season in place of the injured Lee Morley. Within thirty seconds of the restart, North Greenford were in front, when former Woods midfielder Wayne Jackson found space to try his luck from twenty-five yards and the ball crept in under the bar, having beaten the diving Russell.

If that goal, completely against the run of play, was a shock, the second was even more so as Joseph was allowed to run from the halfway line, shrugging off a couple of half-hearted challenges before planting a shot past Russell to make it 2-0 on 55 minutes.

The Woods made their third and final substitutions immediately, replacing Senior with Oliver Hawkins and two minutes later O’Sullivan knocked in a free-kick and Hawkins was pulled to the ground as he went for a header. A penalty was awarded and O’Sullivan, who had missed a spot-kick a week earlier for the Woods, was keen to seek redemption, knocking the ball past Jallow to reduce the arrears.

It gave Northwood a lifeline and they worked hard to get back into it, changing formations and positions regularly as they looked to pull the home side’s defenders around but chances were few and far between, and the game was unable to flow as the Referee started dishing out unnecessary yellow cards in his attempt to keep control the game.

After 77 minutes a quick break saw Hawkins flick on a Lyall ball to Lansiquot and he played in O’Sullivan, but the winger’s shot was over the bar. But the Woods were now looking dangerous and four minutes later Hawkins’ presence proved decisive as he headed on a Liam Hind long-throw and Lansiquot pounced to blast home from close-range.

The home side hadn’t had a look-in for ages, but just two minutes later the impressive Joseph got the better of Lyall and brought another good save out of Russell as he kept his side level. The Woods were still probing forward and looking for a winner, but when Hawkins was just unable to get his toe to a Walker cross after 89 minutes it looked like they might have to settle for a draw.

That was until the first minute of stoppage-time when a short corner saw Walker angle in a cross which Hawkins managed to get a vital touch to with his head, back or shoulder and the ball crept inside the far post to make it 3-2. There was still another eight minutes of stoppage-time to survive, which produced several more yellow cards as the home side grew frustrated, but the Woods got through it well without goalmouth incident and picked up another three points on the road.

Report by ALAN EVANS

Photos by James Brown