Potters Bar took a deserved three points from the Woods disappointing final home fixture of the season. Mark Burgess was ruled out with a hamstring problem to join Steve Brown, James Duncan and Jerome Federico who were all ruled out. It meant a first pairing of James Burgess and youngster Giles Townsend in the centre of defence while Tommy Walsh covered in an unfamiliar right-back role.

The visitors took full advantage of that uncertainty in defence with two goals inside the first twenty minutes as the Woods failed to fire in the early stages. After just seven minutes, a free-kick was headed towards goal by Lee Close and the ball deflected off Walsh to beat Berkley Laurencin in goal. Then, after Niko Muir had seen a shot pushed wide by Mike Underwood in Northwood’s first attack, the Scholars netted a fine second goal with Josh Hutchinson racing onto a through-ball from Cole Penny and finishing well past Laurencin.

Muir headed an Oliver Sprague cross wide of the target as the Woods tried to rally but they struggled to find any rhythm against a well-drilled visiting side and Laurencin had to save from James Ewington to keep the score down before half-time.

The Woods supporters would have been hoping for a second half revival but Potters Bar continued to hold the upper hand with player-manager Jack Friend heading a corner powerfully but just over the bar and then Laurencin had to be alert to keep out a possible Burgess own-goal as he touched a Hutchinson cross towards goal.

On the hour, the Woods began to wake up and play with Joakim Ehui playing a neat one-two with Craig White but seeing his shot well-saved by Underwood. When the Woods pulled a goal back on 67 minutes it raised real hopes for a recovery. It was Muir who stabbed the ball home after Karl Oliyide had gone through on goal and seen his effort saved.

Dave Lawrence tried his luck from 25-yards with a good strike that looked like catching out Underwood but the Bar goalkeeper got across and pushed the ball wide. Then another bit of quick thinking saw Lawrence hit a free-kick quickly but again the keeper was alert and made a comfortable save.

But the comeback fell flat on 84 minutes as James Burgess reacted badly to an alleged foul and threw an elbow that saw Tom Laxton needing extensive treatment. The first straight red card of the season for the Woods left them with ten men and handed the advantage back to the visitors.

Potters Bar finished the game comfortably holding on to their advantage with the Woods only half-chance coming when Lawrence got his head to a George Nicholas cross but the ball looped up harmlessly and Underwood saved.