The first-ever meeting of these two sides at senior level went narrowly the way of the home side after they nosed ahead in the early stages and the Woods were just unable to peg them back in a close-fought contest.
Manager Simon Lane had to shuffle his squad and was also hit by a nasty training ground injury to goalkeeper Harry Voss which meant a return to the club for last season’s top custodian Montel Joseph on dual registration from his new side Hendon. Jack McDonnell also started for the first time this season with Hakim Nyariki and Arash Abdollahi also missing but Mahlondo Martin was back.

The home side had enjoyed an excellent victory over near-neighbours St. Neots in the FA Cup a week earlier and they started like a train. In the very first minute Tom Knowles did well on the left and cut the ball back for Mason Spence to strike for goal and Joseph was straight into the action to dive and palm the ball over the bar. It was the full-back Spence who bombed forward again a few minutes later bit this time shot wide and then more action down that left flank saw Knowles exchange passes with Ross Paterson and force Joseph into a good stop at his near-post.

And there was still only ten minutes on the clock when the pressure finally told. Joseph saved again from Ryan Sharman but the defence failed to clear and when Paterson latched onto it just outside the box the ball skidded off the wet surface and this time bounced through the hands of the diving ‘keeper. After that onslaught the Woods gradually began to get more of a grip on the game and began to threaten in attack with about half an hour on the clock. Evans Kouassi led the way with a pacy run that saw him find Meshach Williams who flicked the ball on to put Kouassi into the box. It was a great chance but he placed the ball wide of the near-post rather than shooting across goalkeeper Niall Conroy.

Two minutes later the Woods won a free-kick in dangerous position but Kouassi was wide again with his effort and then there looked a certain equaliser on 36 minutes as Kouassi flew down the right, knocked in a centre that appeared to only need a touch from Martin at the far post. But he took an extra touch and was then quickly crowded out as he tried to find an angle to force the ball home when a cut back looked more favourable. Pat Adamson then got forward down the left well to feed Williams whose strike was gathered high by Conroy before Pat Kelly put in a cross which was too near the ‘keeper and then Adamson again attacked well but shot over the bar.

Still the Woods swept forward and just before the break Kouassi knocked in an excellent cross which was met by Williams with a fine downward header which Conroy pushed up and onto the crossbar to keep City in the lead at half-time. The Woods were hoping for much of the same after the break but it was Cambridge who started the half better again. Joseph had to push out an accurate free-kick from Knowles and then another marauding run from Spence saw him combine with Lewis Wilson to fire for goal but again the Trinidad & Tobago Under-20s ‘keeper Joseph was equal to it.

On 55 minutes Kouassi tried to go it alone, cutting in from the left and working to find some space before shooting but it was straight at the ‘keeper who saved comfortably while at the other end Joseph saved similarly from Ryan Towner’s effort.

Northwood were still playing the better football but the final pass or shot seemed to be lacking. Some good work got the ball into the box and when McDonnell’s touch fell to Williams his effort was well over the bar. Then Kouassi burst down the right again and knocked in a tempting cross which eluded everyone, was scrambled out as far as Adamson but his strike was again saved by Conroy in goal. Substitutions were made on 73 minutes with Kojo Gyimah and Jean-Paul Antwi both getting their first action of the season for the Woods but it failed to refresh the Woods and actually stopped their momentum.

Salim Relizani had a couple of efforts on goal which sailed wide while home substitute Oliver Snaith wasn’t far away with a low drive. Kouassi had the last chance for Northwood but he frustratingly shot wide two minutes from time and Towner went closer for City at least forcing Joseph into one last save, pushing the ball wide of the post to complete a good game for the Woods ‘keeper.