Northwood enjoyed a win on their travels against higher placed opposition for the second successive Saturday as they overcame free-scoring Ware in a five-goal thriller on the artificial pitch at Wodson Park. The hosts went into the game in a rich vein of form, having only suffered one defeat in ten games while Woods were looking to build on the previous week's success at Waltham Abbey.

There were a couple of changes to the Northwood team, Leigh Stevens was missing through illness which meant a debut in midfield for new signing Yahya El-Khabouche while Kweku Lucan was preferred to Kyran Worrell in a three-pronged attack.

Ware displayed their attacking prowess from the off as Ben Hart combined with the pacy Brandon Adams before the former directed his shot straight at keeper Luke Sheldrick. Woods responded with a series of incisive moves, Dan Pett linking well with Jabir Laraba before being crowded out in the home box while the lively Tremayne Charles cut in from the left and shot narrowly wide.

Northwood maintained their bright start and were rewarded with the opening goal on 11 minutes, El-Khabouche slotting a slide-rule pass through a flat Ware backline for Pett who calmly rounded keeper Anthony Page and rolled the ball home.

The Blues responded  by forcing a series of corners with Albert Adu not far away with a header from Hart's delivery but Woods stood firm to keep their lead intact. The entertaining contest continued with play flowing from end to end, Lucan firing into the Ware side-netting following a quick break from Charles while Sheldrick was called upon to deal with an Adam's shot after the latter latched onto a long ball over the top.

But it was Northwood who had the clinical edge with a second goal on 24 minutes as Charles played in Lucan who dispatched a low shot into the far corner for his first league goal. Ware's frustrations were increasing and this was  evident  as Charles was crudely scythed down by  Kardam Campbell who earned a yellow card for his transgression.

The hosts continued to be rebuffed by Northwood's rearguard, Gareth Madden having a close-range effort blocked following a corner before the visitors broke quickly with Laraba going close with a curling effort on the stroke of half-time.

Woods were immediately into their stride following the restart and they had a series of opportunities to effectively end the contest. Firstly Charles shot into the side-netting after good work from Sam Jenkins and El-Khabouche before Jenkins sent over a cross for a stretching Laraba who sent his header over the crossbar.

And Charles worked himself into another useful position but his shot was parried by Page before Jenkins made another storming foray into the Ware box but dragged his shot wide when a lay-off to the unmarked Laraba might have been the better option.

Having resisted the pressure, Ware gradually found their rhythm and Northwood had some defending to do as Campbell headed over from Hart's free-kick before David Cowley sent another set-piece wide of the target after El-Khabouche was cautioned for a foul on the edge of the box.

Kieran Asumadu-Sakyi replaced El-Khabouche in the Woods midfield as the visitors continued to be pinned in the own half by a succession of Ware attacks, Sheldrick producing a couple of fine saves to deny Adams and Jack Daveney. However, the pressure finally told as the Blues reduced the arrears on 68 minutes as Adams converted as the ball fell nicely for him following a corner.

Northwood looked to try and shore things up at the back, with Laraba making way for substitute Jonathan Munday but the hosts immediately struck again as Adu headed home Cowley's cross to equalise on 70 minutes.

Ware went in search of the winning goal with Woods desperately trying to stay in the match, Louis Rose and Cowley going close before Adams was denied by an offside flag. Pett had made way for substitute Zaied Sabti for the final fifteen minutes, and Northwood managed to break the stranglehold with a rare foray as Charles had another effort parried by Page.

And there were further chances at both ends as Cowley shot weakly at Sheldrick while Sabti shot wide after latching onto Lucan's flick-on. However, the deciding goal duly arrived in the 90th minute as the hard-working Jenkins latched onto a poor clearance from Page and fired over a low cross which Madden could only divert into his own net to seal the win for Northwood.