Manager Simon Lane classed this as two points dropped after conceding a late equaliser from a disputed penalty against a Barton Rovers side who are yet to record a win at home this season. There was just one change to the side that had started in the previous week’s victory over Kempston Rovers with Evans Kouassi returning while Tayshan Hayden-Smith dropped to the bench for a bit of a rest.

The home side had made several new signings following their disastrous 7-0 loss at Hartley Wintney a week earlier including the vastly experienced goalkeeper Matt Finlay, and he was to prove an important addition for Rovers.

The Woods were looking to notch a fifth successive league win and started with plenty of confidence, pushing Barton onto the back-foot for much of the early stages with Kouassi combining well with Jermaine Osei but it was Michael Buckley who notched the first effort on goal though he fired well wide. A Mahlondo Martin cross was cleared for a corner and a good strike from a Buckley free-kick produced the first save as Finlay stretched to push the ball wide of the upright.

Buckley had another effort deflected wide while a good run from full-back Isaac Olorunfemi led to a shot that was always just wide as Northwood continued to dominate but without finding the breakthrough. Barton finally created an opportunity after 24 minutes as a quick break saw Tom Peverall find Danny Watson in space but his first-time chip sailed well wide of the target.

Back at the other end and Kouassi shot wide after a good ball from Osei and then an excellent move again involving Osei linking with Kouassi produced an accurate cross and Harry Newman’s header was palmed over the top by Finlay in goal. The home side managed one more chance on 36 minutes as an attempted header away by Brad Hewitt saw Ewan Fieldhouse back across goal and another header from Jamie Nicholls was plucked out of the air by Hazlett.

Northwood hit back again and should have led before the break. Osei and Kouassi combined once more with the former shooting low but again seeing Finlay get down to it and save well. Then Martin fed Osei down the left and he cut in to make some space before a crisp strike flew across goal and clipped the far post.

It was up the slope for the second half for the Woods but in the very first minute Osei worked his way into the box and was felled by Dan Newton for a clear penalty. It was the in-form Osei who took responsibility for his first spot-kick of the season and he sent Finlay the wrong way to put Northwood into a deserved lead.

The Woods seemed happy to sit back a little on that lead and they appeared to be very comfortable so Barton made a couple of changes on the hour with a double substitution. One of them, James Hockney made a quick impact with a ball that found Kyle Lincoln out wide who cut in but shot miles over the bar.

After 69 minutes Hazlett was suddenly in action, keeping out a Newton header and then pushing away Watson’s effort from the rebound. But that was a rare threat from the home side and generally Northwood were defending solidly while also creating very little to secure the points.

As the game entered the final ten minutes, Hayden-Smith replaced the limping Osei while Wilson Chingoka came on for the hard-working Lewis Ochoa. And all seemed to be going well but after 85 minutes a ball into the box was blocked and the Referee spoiled an otherwise impeccable performance by deciding on a handball offence that surprised everyone and even he described as “an unlucky one” after the game. Watson took full advantage of the gift by rolling in the penalty and levelling the scores.

There was only a brief amount of time to react. Kouassi jinked across the edge of the box but lacked composure with a shot that flew well over while Hockney had an effort for Rovers that was blocked. Finally, in the third minute of stoppage-time, Kouassi’s testing cross was palmed out by Finlay on the edge of the six-yard box and when Chingoka managed to recover it and find Buckley, the Woods midfielder curled a shot that missed the far post by just a few inches.