Staines Town Under 18 4  Northwood Under 18 2

Monday 27th September 2010

Northwood U18		Ryman Youth League West Wheatsheaf Park, Staines
Ricardo McNeil	1	Kick Off
Tommy Day	2	7.30 p.m.
Benn Stuart	3	H/T
Jonas Charles	4	1-2
Sean Hollowed	5	Scorers
Dwayne Cole-Parkes	6	Northwood
Julian Cole	7	Cole, Walker
Nathan McLeod	8
Romaine Walker	9
Jack Hutchinson	10
Zain Kahn	11
Gbenga Adelana	12
Ricky Finnucane (3)	14
-	15
Liam McGrath ( 8)	18
John Uche ( 10)	17

For the second successive league game the young Woods failed to maintain their early season form by dropping another three points to a jubilant Staines side. As early as the 1st minute a loose pass in midfield was intercepted, and swept into the box through a static defence, only for the Staines striker to be upended in the box for a penalty. Mario Quiassaca stepped up and neatly placed the ball in the bottom left corner to take the lead: 1-0.

Woods were stunned by this early setback and were on the back foot, as Staines looked to capitalise on their early success. Woods had to battle hard to resist and regroup, until the 30th minute, when an ever dangerous Julian Cole burst down the right flank and passed to Jack Hutchinson, who neatly chipped over the defence for Julian to race in and blast past the keeper to level the scores. Woods started to take control of the game and pressed Staines defence but could not grab the lead, as their goalkeeper Kyle Merson made a couple of close range saves from on form Romaine Walker. But in the 40th minute, with Woods firmly on top, a long hopeful kick by the Staines keeper bounced in between Woods midfield and defence, for striker Dominic Ogun to race in and lob the advancing Ricardo McNeil: 2-1.

In the second half Woods came out more positive, which saw Romaine Walker in the first few minutes burst clear of the home defence into the six yard, only to shoot wide with just the keeper to beat. This was the pattern of the first 15 minutes of the second half, with chance after chance being missed, as the Woods strikers failed to get the side back on terms.

The game changed complexion quickly when Staines launched their first serious attack of the half in the 70th minute, picking out Quiassaca just outside the Woods box, and he shot and got a wicked deflection to land the ball in the net: 3-1. Before Woods could recover they were 4-1 down as sub Che
Masroh-McDowell broke down the right flank in the 77th minute and drove a vicious cross goal shot into the far corner of the Woods net.

Northwood kept pressing and their efforts was rewarded with a second goal by Romaine Walker in the 85th minute to make it 4-2. Too little too late was the cry, as the chances missed by Woods were brutally penalised by a Staines side who took their chances and all the points.

Report: TREVOR CHARLES