The Woods bounced back to form and made it just one defeat in their last eight games with their best win of the season against a below-par Egham Town side. With Manager Mark Burgess having joined Perry Dicker on the suspended list, there was a recall for Nick Turner in defence while Dave Lawrence was chosen to partner James Burgess in central midfield which Joakim Ehui returned to the starting line-up. There was a place on the bench for Nana Asamoah on his return after two months absence.

Egham were without veteran midfielder Mo Harkin and left-back Ryan Lake and were playing their first game after a couple of weeks inactivity due to postponed games and Northwood were looking to avenge a poor 4-1 defeat that they had suffered in the reverse fixture on a Tuesday night back in September. It was a cold but bright and sunny afternoon with the pitch looking in excellent condition which allowed both sides to knock the ball around confidently from the start. It took seven minutes for the first effort on goal as Lawrence played a neat exchange of passes with Michael Murray but his shot sailed well wide.

The visitors responded well and a cross, whipped in by Ashley Quarshie, saw Dan Read dive in to poke a shot which flashed just the wrong side of the post. But the Woods were beginning to threaten with some excellent passing and movement and when Rob Hastings raced forward down the right to send over a far post cross, Murray should have done better than to volley the ball back across goal and wide.

They didn’t have much longer to wait though before they took the lead on 18 minutes. Again it was a ball out wide and a run from Hastings that caused the damage and his cut-back to Niko Muir saw the Woods striker take one touch and then fire a crisp shot across the face of goal and inside the far post. Three minutes later, Egham goalkeeper Jamie Norris made a good save to deny Lawrence after an excellent ball from midfield, Murray was unable to find the space to force home the loose ball but instead set up Muir only for his effort to be blocked by some solid defending.

The Sarnies had their best chance to level things up after 21 minutes when Read was put through on goal and although Omar Vassell denied him with a good tackle, the ball was knocked back in and Read flicked a shot that clipped the crossbar. Three minutes later the visitors’ chances had another setback when Muir cut in from the left and let fly with a powerful shot that soared into the far top corner despite Norris getting a touch to it. It made it seven goals in ten games since the Woods top scorer of last season returned to the club.

Egham tried to rally with the speedy Josh Andrew leading the fight-back as Vassell picked up a yellow card for a mistimed challenge at pace and the same player did cut in and shoot for goal but Berkley Laurencin gathered the low drive safely.
Just before the break Hastings provided more ammunition as Muir went for a first-half hat-trick but this time his effort was blocked and it remained 2-0 at the break.

The second half started more slowly and Hastings was forced out of the attack with injury, to be replaced by Ismael Ehui on 52 minutes. Shortly after this, Egham went close to pulling a goal back as Read latched onto another good cross from Quarshie and played a good ball to Joe Chandiram but his volley from close-range was deflected wide for a corner.

The Woods stormed back with Andy Lomas getting forward and knocking in an excellent ball which had Murray arriving at the back post but he failed to connect cleanly and the ball was sliced wide. Soon after this, a Murray corner picked out Turner for a free header down but it lacked the power to beat Norris. Any real hope of the Sarnies getting back into the match ended on 64 minutes as Andrew clattered into Lomas and picked up a straight red card from Referee Neil Morrison.

With an extra man over, the Woods created two chances in quick succession with Ismael Ehui showing good footwork before firing just wide and then Muir was put through on goal but his shot crashed into the side-netting. The third goal came after 75 minutes in an almost replica move as Muir again raced through on goal but this time unselfishly squared the ball to Ismael Ehui who took the simple chance for his first goal since early November.

Murray and Lawrence were replaced by Jordan Lawal and Asamoah, both needing minutes on the pitch after missing many games recently and the Woods looked set for a comfortable victory with a clean sheet. But Danny Williamson had other ideas and after 86 minutes raced forward and dodged two attempted tackles before rifling in a powerful shot that gave Laurencin no chance.

However, it only served to stir the Woods attack in the closing stages. Ismael Ehui did well on the left and squared the ball for his brother Joakim Ehui who somehow missed the target from eight yards. In the final minute of normal time, another good ball was slipped through for Ismael Ehui to notch his second in clinical fashion and restore himself to the top of the goalscoring charts once again with ten from eighteen appearances, seven of those as a substitute.

There was still time for more and three minutes later Ismael Ehui turned provider with a neat ball inside to Asamoah who clipped a neat shot across Norris and inside the far post as if he had never been away.
Man of the Match award went to James Burgess who used all his experience to quietly control the midfield area throughout the game, just a couple of weeks short of his 38th birthday.

The three points took the Woods above their opponents and up to tenth place, their highest so far this season and they next face Daventry Town at home next Saturday. Unfortunately they will still have Burgess and Dicker suspended and they will be joined on the sidelines by new top scorer Ismael Ehui who will start a four-match ban following his latest indiscretion.