Northwood will be grateful for the point gained from their long and troubled trip to Daventry at the weekend after a really hard-working performance. Hold-ups on both main motorways meant a journey of up to three hours and just a short time for pre-match preparations and it was no real surprise that they started on the back-foot.

Andy Lomas returned from injury while Nana Asamoah was given his chance up front with Dave Lawrence rested and there was also a place on the subs bench for new signing Ismael Ehui. The 27-year-old, older brother of Joakim, is a former Fulham trainee who has spent much of his career playing in the lower leagues in Belgium, but most recently France before his international clearance came through last week.

It took the home side seven minutes to record a shot on goal as a cross from Josh O’Grady gave Dior Angus a glimpse of goal but he shot wide. Then, just a minute later a long punt from goalkeeper Ben Heath bounced kindly to put Tom Berwick in on goal but he tamely chipped the ball into the arms of a grateful Berkley Laurencin. Berwick squeezed a better shot towards goal on 10 minutes after good work from Ross Oulton but Laurencin pushed it up and was then first to the loose ball.

The Woods looked for an outlet and found it in Rob Hastings but two opportunities were spurned in quick succession, one shot high after Lomas had knocked a good ball in and then another on-target effort lacking power.

The home side missed another chance after 15 minutes as Oulton knocked a corner to the near-post and when Josh Blake flicked it on, Nathan Haines put his header wide of the far post. Angus seemed to have found a way through as he attacked at pace from the right and got into the box but his shot was half-saved and Perry Dicker was on hand to clear off the line.

Northwood were mainly restricted to the counter-attack and this was occasionally dangerous as Sam Byfield burst down the left, racing past Ashley Deeney but then firing just over the top. As the half continued, the Woods did manage to gain more possession and then just before the break, an excellent ball forward from Byfield saw Lomas get into the box on the overlap and he clearly had his shirt pulled as he looked to make room for a shot but appeals were ignored.

The Woods also started the second half quite well, with Asamoah going very close with a fine solo effort, twisting and turning before getting a shot off that was just inches wide of the far post with Heath just a spectator. Then, a defensive error from Haines saw Joakim Ehui latch onto his poor clearance and race into the box but he delayed his shot too long and it was blocked for a corner.

Daventry hit back once again with a mistake in the Woods midfield allowing O’Grady to cross and Dicker did really well to just get a block into Berwick’s attempt at goal. Then the dangerous Oulton tried his luck from distance with a low shot that was only just wide. On the hour, the home side went even closer. A high cross in by O’Grady saw Angus head down and wide at the far post and then a Berwick cross found Angus again but this time his volley was headed out by Burgess.

Ismael Ehui was introduced for a tiring Hastings on 66 minutes and his first touch was to latch onto the ball from a Lomas tackle for an effort on goal from distance but it was always going wide of the target. The substitute also met a near-post Byfield corner with a firm header which flashed over the bar as the Woods began to have hopes of a late push for all three points.

But those hopes were soon extinguished as a quick break by the home side saw Lomas miss an important interception and this put Kieran Fitzgerald in on goal. He knocked it past Burgess, the only defender in sight who sent him sprawling as the two collided. It was an inevitable red card, so the Woods still had thirteen minutes plus stoppage-time to hold out. Asamoah was the sacrifice as James Duncan came on to bolster the defence but Daventry seemed out of ideas and Laurencin was only called on once in the closing stages as he got down to keep out an effort from substitute Luke Keen.

There was almost a talking point in the final seconds as George Nicholas nicked a ball in midfield and shot from almost halfway. But the final whistle had blown before the ball struck the post and it sparked protests from Duncan and Jordan Lawal, with both picking up yellow cards for an unnecessary outburst of frustration.