The Woods notched their fourth successive away league victory with this clear-cut success at sixth-placed Beaconsfield Sycob and extended a run which has seen them victorious in seven of their last eight away matches in all competitions. With John Christian unavailable and Leon Osei expected to take up an offer to join league rivals Aylesbury, Oliver Hawkins was restored to the starting line-up, while new manager Mark Burgess opted to give himself a run-out in the centre of midfield.

While Northwood had reacted quickly to replace Gary Meakin after he had taken up a new role at Wingate & Finchley, the Rams had been taking a more leisurely period after their boss Byron Walton had resigned due to work commitments several weeks earlier. Caretaker Steve Baker was taking charge for the sixth time prior to interviews that take place later this week.

After an even start to the game with the Woods more than matching the early impetus shown by the home side, Sycob broke forward through Gavin James and his ball across almost picked out Nathan Jack. The wide man managed to retrieve the ball but his shot to the near post was easily collected by James Reading in goal. After 20 minutes, the Rams were almost in front as Jack fired a ball across the area and Dwane Lee poked a reflex volley goalwards but unfortunately straight at a  grateful Reading.

Up until then, Northwood’s progress had been halted by the experienced centre-back line of Nevin Saroya and ex-Woods defender Yiadom Yeboah, but with Adamson Ajayi and Jack Hutchinson being fed a good supply of passes from the impressive Craig White, the pressure began to tell. Ajayi’s run and chip to the far post looked ideal for Hawkins until Yeboah just intercepted with his head, but a repeat just two minutes later found Hawkins this time and his looped header had goalkeeper Jonathan Nydell beaten but crashed back off the crossbar.

After 39 minutes White instigated the move that produced the opening goal. Moving forward he slipped a good ball to Spencer Bellotti who, in turn, put Jack Hutchinson in space. He moved the ball across the area before playing in Ajayi and the attacker let fly with a shot which took a deflection and beat Nydell in goal for his ninth goal of the season. The Rams had hardly recovered from this setback when they conceded a second goal just three minutes later. This time it was teenager Hutchinson who caused the damage, with another attacking run and this time his direct strike at goal looped off an attempted block from Yeboah and over the stranded Nydell.

The home side rang the changes at half-time, with two substitutions and a change of formation but the Woods continued to dominate with Hutchinson again threatening with a jinking run and shot beating Nydell but again hitting the bar. It was end-to-end stuff from then, with Jonathan Montgomery heading a corner on but Lee was unable to control in front of goal before those two combined again and Lee fired well wide.

After 59 minutes Bellotti went close when he raced through and skipped past Nydell but he lost control as he tried to steer a shot home from a difficult angle. Soon after a long ball out of defence from Reece Yorke saw Hawkins rise brilliantly to head past Nydell but thankfully for the home side, Ashleigh James was alert to the danger and cleared away the loose ball. The Woods were looking more comfortable as the game wore on and they always looked dangerous on the break. Ajayi set up another attack with a pacy run and a square ball to Hutchinson who shot low and forced Nydell into a diving save with no-one there to snap up the loose ball.

Reading made a couple of important stops when Sycob did threaten a little, denying substitute Adam Bernard and Gavin James, while Dwane Lee steered a header wide after a good ball in by James. Time was running out for the home side, and when Bellotti again latched onto a through-ball after 82 minutes he looked likely to score but was denied by a good save from American keeper Nydell.

A minute later another impressive move involved Lee Grant, Hawkins and then Hutchinson who slipped a perfect ball through to Ajayi but again Nydell managed to spread himself and block with Ashleigh James the defender to clear away the rebound. Romaine Walker returned to the field after his absence through injury as a late substitute for the hard-working Ajayi, but it was a brief cameo and it was Beaconsfield who had the last effort on goal as Reading pushed wide a long-range strike from substitute Ryan Upward.

The three points lifted Northwood back into the top half of the table and just four points off the play-off places but they have a rest from league action on Tuesday night as Ashford Town (Middlesex) visit for a Red Insure Southern League Cup fixture.