Hampton & Richmond Borough18 1  Northwood Under 18 1

Monday 25th October 2010

Northwood U18		Ryman Youth League Beveree Stadium, Hampton
Chezney Cassell	1	Kick Off
Reece Fallon	2	7.30 p.m.
Daniel Long	3	H/T
Jonas Charles	4	0-0
Sean Hollowed	5	Scorers
Dwayne Cole-Parkes	6	Northwood
John Uche	7	Walker
Liam McGrath	8
Romaine Walker	9
Justin Smith	10
Lamin Cole	11
-	12
Julian Cole (3)	14
Nathan McLeod (10)	15
-	16
Tommy Day (11)	17

The young Woods were back on the road travelling to Hampton for another away challenge, but with a limited squad of 14. Having won the last three games, Northwood were keen to extend their run, but did not underestimate their more experienced opponents. Woods made a couple of changes from the last line-up, with Daniel Long and Julian Smith coming in at left back and midfield respectively, but were confident of getting a result.

Hampton were quickly into their stride and for the first 20 minutes dominated possession, passing the ball around quickly with pace, unsettling Woods, who started slowly. The visitors were forced on the back foot time and time again, defending vigorously against Hampton’s impressive and intricate passing football. With all their possession Hampton could not breach the Woods defence, which was strongly marshalled by Dwayne Cole-Parkes and Sean Hollowed in the centre, and Daniel Long and Reece Fallon on the flanks, with Chezney Cassell in goal, rarely troubled.

But Woods hardly threatened the Hampton goal, until the game was turned on its head in the 30th minute, when skipper Jonas Charles made two crunching tackles in the middle before setting in form Romaine Walker clear on the right, who just failed with a shot wide of the post. This set the scene for a complete switch as Woods started to increase the tempo and forced Hampton on the back foot with a series of penetrating balls from Liam McGrath, Smith and Cole Parkes, into the Hampton box, which saw John Uche go close only to be denied by the keeper and Walker twice being denied with blocks in the area and failing to lay on a simple pass from 6 yards out. Some of the Woods players did not have great impact but Woods finished the half strongly and looked as if it was only a matter of time before they scored: 0-0.

The second half started with Woods playing more confidently, with Charles and McGrath stronger and tighter in the middle of the park, passing the ball around the field with more composure. Hampton were made to defend stoutly to stop the roving runs of Walker, as the game opened up. But it was Hampton who struck against the run of play in the 56th minute, with a fortunate back heel which fooled the Woods defence for Dwayne Critchlow to race into the six yard area to blast in high off the crossbar and into the goal: 1-0.

The Woods were stunned after being in control for a long period, only to be behind. Woods regained their flow and began to battle back, attacking with more purpose and aggression. Woods made changes with Tommy Day, Julian Cole and Nathan McLeod, replacing Lamin Cole, Long and Smith, as they pressed to get back into the game. In the 68th minute Walker chased a great through ball from Nathan McLeod on the left, and having weaved his way past the defender proceeded to blast his shot, which cannoned off the crossbar and out of danger. In the 70th and 71st minutes, Cassell was forced to make two block saves just inside the box, on one-on-ones with the Hampton forwards. But it was in the 80th minute when after a series of fouls outside their box by Hampton, that Walker unleashed a tremendous and powerful free kick from 20 yards, which wickedly curved down and hit the underside of the bar to drop into the net: 1-1. In the last 10 minutes both teams had chances to win the game, with Cassell pulling off a superb one handed save from point blank to push over the bar in the dying minutes. The game ended a draw, and both teams would accept that a point apiece was a fair and true reflection of the game!

The young Woods now enter a week of preparation for one of their biggest games of this season, the FA Youth Cup 1st Round at home versus Dulwich Hamlet, 4th November 7.45 K.O

Report: ALAN EVANS