Northwood 3 Chertsey Town 1 

Saturday 17th September 2022

NORTHWOOD
1	Andrew McCorkell
2	Sam Jenkins
3	Andy Lomas
4	Riccardo Alexander-Greenaway
5	Luke Tingey ©
6	James Gurteen (90m)
7	Ronan Hutchins (90m)
8	Micah Jackson (68m)
9	Josh Helmore
10	Sydney Ibie
11	Carl Stewart
Substitutes
12	Ergys Pepaj
14	Keagan Cole (90m)
15	Harry Gallagher (90m)
16	Rahim Jude-Boyd (68m)
17	Brandon Kalu
	Chertsey: Nicholas Jupp, Rowan Smith, Mason Welch-Turner, Lee Lewis , Darryl Harrison, Quincy Rowe , William Montague (Kai Hamilton Olise 69m), Lewis Cole, Jake Baxter, Samuel Murphy, Trevan Robinson

The Woods maintained their 100% League record at the top of the table with this hard-fought victory over previously undefeated Chertsey Town who were denied promotion the play-off final last season.

The Curfews have had a change of management in the summer with former Woods favourite Wayne Carter taking charge and he had a familiar figure alongside him in former Northwood Assistant Manager Gary Farrell.

After their disappointing home FA Trophy defeat to Hanworth Villa in midweek, there were a couple of changes to the starting line-up for the Woods. Carl Stewart was restored to the midfield in place of Ergys Pepaj while Keagan Cole was rested and in came Micah Jackson who returned to the club a day earlier after spells with Chalfont St Peter and Walthamstow.

However, Northwood got off to the best possible start. There were just 53 seconds on the clock when Josh Helmore cut out a poor pass out by goalkeeper Nick Jupp and chipped the ball high into the far corner.

The Curfews responded well with William Montague getting a shot on target after 8 minutes but it lacked the power to test Andrew McCorkell in goal and then the tricky Trevan Robinson went down in the box under a strong tackle from Sam Jenkins but the Referee waved penalty claims away quickly.

Back came the Woods with Sydney Ibie causing a few problems and forcing a corner before Ronan Hutchins fired over the bar with a shot on the turn. Northwood were getting on top at this stage and after Ibie and Jackson went close, Helmore turned past Quincy Rowe in the area and was clumsily brought down. After the goalscorer received some treatment, it was Sydney Ibie who took responsibility from the penalty-spot and although not his best of strikes, his spot-kick was just well-placed enough to beat the hand of Jupp and make it 2-0.

PHOTOS by James Brown & Len Kerswill

Also needing treatment just before the half-time whistle was the Assistant Referee who injured an ankle and during the break he was forced off. Thankfully there were a couple of suitably qualified referees in the crowd so James Hall stepped in to the breach.

Chertsey looked to get back in the game with a very positive start to the second half, forcing a series of corners which caused problems in the box but the Woods defence showed they were up for the battle with a couple of excellent blocks.

But the Curfews did reduce the deficit on 57 minutes. Andy Lomas was booked for conceding a free-kick in a dangerous area, the defensive wall never looked quite right and Lee Lewis took full advantage to rifle a shot that flew into the top corner and gave McCorkell no chance of getting his hands to it.

It led to a nervous half-hour for the Woods faithful but again the Northwood defence, led by skipper Luke Tingey, kept their calm under pressure. The closest that Chertsey came to levelling was after 75 minutes when Robinson’s centre was headed goalwards but came off a post and was then scrambled away despite James Gurteen colliding with the Woods ‘keeper.

The Woods were relying on the quick break and had efforts from Ibie, Hutchins and substitute Rahim Jude-Boyd all saved comfortably by Jupp and time was running out for the visitors.

Several injury issues led to seven minutes of additional time and that had become eleven when Jupp came forward for a last-gasp corner for Chertsey. But the ball was cleared and Jude-Boyd slipped a great pass through for Ibie to run onto and no-one was going to prevent the Woods striker from slotting into an empty net for his second of the game.

REPORT by Alan Evans