Saturday 23 March 1974
WOODS BANISH RE-ELECTION BLUES
NORTHWOOD 2 RUISLIP TOWN 2
The woodwork robbed Northwood of a victory in their Middlesex League derby with Ruislip Town on Saturday, but a point was enough to dispel their re-election worries.
Northwood can claim with justification that luck was not with them in the first half. They had a hatful of chances and had the misfortune to see fine efforts cannon off the woodwork.
But Woods were given a boost when they opened the scoring after just six minutes. A long ball from Pearce was superbly controlled by Stone, who unleashed a swerving drive from 30 yards past the stranded Bennett.
Woods pressed the Town defence hard for the next 25 minutes and were unfortunate not to go further into the lead when Harland sent a shot crashing on to the underside of the crossbar.
Town’s equaliser on the half- hour was completely against the run of play. Beavitt intercepted a bad pass from Pearce, and took the ball to the retreating home defence before putting Thompson clear. The Town striker, still not fully fit, celebrated his return to the side by placing the ball wide of the advancing Gillon.
Town raised their game a little in the second half and took the lead within minutes. Hogan headed Thompson’s long throw into the area and Beavitt hammered home.
However, Town’s hopes of recording their first win over Northwood were dashed midway through the half when Town ‘keeper John Bennett was adjudged to have hit Metcalfe with the ball, and Blanch converted the resultant penalty to equalise.
There was little of note in the rest of the game, although Bennett showed his versatility when he tipped a rasping shot over the bar and a couple of minutes later raced from the area to break up a Northwood attack with a well-timed tackle.
Northwood: Gillon, Harland, Byrne, Blanch, Heslop, Pearce, Roberts, Hester, Coulter, Stone, Metcalfe. Sub: Myers.
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