Walton & Hersham Under 18 2  Northwood Under 18 1

Monday 11th April 2011

Northwood U18		Ryman Youth League Cup Stompond Lane, Walton on Thames
Chezney Cassell	1	Kick Off
Reece Fallon	2	7.45 p.m.
Gbenga Adelana	3	H/T
Richard Amofa	4	1-0
Sean Hollowed	5	Scorers
Dwayne Cole-Parkes	6	Northwood
Julian Smith	7	Hutchinson 15
Liam McGrath	8	Walton
Jordan Douglas	9	Griffiths 53, 86
Jack Hutchinson	10
Damilola Thomas	11
John Uche (4)	12
Zain Khan (7)	14
Julian Cole	15
-	18
-	17

Northwood’s long unbeaten run came to an end as they bowed out of the Lucas Fettes Youth Cup at the quarter-final stage, losing narrowly at Stompond Lane. With leading scorer Romaine Walker ruled out through suspension, the absence of two other strikers including Jake Rosier and Kevin Lema, meant that their attacking game was less potent than usual as Jordan Douglas was left to lead the line on his own.

Walton started well with Dean Powell heading a Steve Betencourt free-kick just wide but at the other end Damilola Thomas threatened with some direct running and won a couple of early free-kicks. After 15 minutes it was Thomas who again caused problems with a run from deep which took out two defenders and he slipped a fine ball through which Jack Hutchinson converted with ease to put the Woods ahead.

The home side were well up for the battle though and another Powell header was pushed round the post by Chezney Cassell before George Griffiths had a shot deflected wide. Betancourt’s delivery from a series of free-kicks was causing some anxious moments for Northwood and another presented Chas Goodchild with a chance but he could only knock the ball back across the goal and wide.

The Woods kept strong at the back through to half-time but Walton pulled the scores level eight minutes after the break when a long-ball down the middle picked out Griffiths unmarked and he had the simple task of turning to shoot home. The home side were clearly buoyed by the goal and when a corner was only half-cleared both Goodchild and Griffiths had shots blocked by some desperate defending and the increasingly dangerous Griffiths went close with another crisp shot soon after.

Walton sub Jaymo Ellis was introduced with 25 minutes to go and he provided the extra spark they needed to dominate further. He had already powered forward for a shot that failed to hit the target before supplying a great ball through to put Griffiths through on goal but Cassell was equal to it, racing out and saving his shot to keep the Woods in the game.

The Woods had been reliant on hitting Walton on the break up to this stage but after 80 minutes Douglas laid a good ball off to Hutchinson but he rather rushed his shot and hit it straight at goalkeeper Harry Church. Just a minute later Richard Amofa repeated the ball to Hutchinson but this time his first touch let him down and the ball ran through to Church.

The pressure continued with a free-kick from Reece Fallon knocked in towards Sean Hollowed who flicked a header wide and then Amofa played another great ball through for Hutchinson. This time he touched it past the ‘keeper but was dispossessed by a timely Palmer tackle. Having enjoyed a spell of pressure, the Woods fell behind on 86 minutes as Amofa was caught in possession and Ellis slipped a ball through to Griffiths who took it past Cassell before slotting home from an angle for his second goal of the game.

The Woods made a couple of changes with Zain Khan and John Uche introduced as late substitutes for Julian Smith and Amofa and the Woods enjoyed plenty of possession in the final stages which included six minutes of stoppage-time. However the only real chance of an equaliser came from a 90th minute corner. Cassell stormed upfield to join in the throng in the penalty-area and when the corner dropped, it led to a good old-fashioned scramble with several players unable to add a touch before Liam McGrath did hook his shot wide of the target.

In the end it was Walton who held on to their narrow but deserved victory and the Woods will now have to focus on their remaining league games and their efforts for a top two place. They start at Fleet Town on Thursday night. 

Report: ALAN EVANS