Northwood 1 Enfield Town 2
Tuesday 7th February 2023
| NORTHWOOD | |||
 |
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| 1 | Andrew McCorkell | ||
| 2 | Sam Jenkins (62m) | ||
| 3 | Andy Lomas | ||
| 4 | Riccardo Alexander-Greenaway (79m) | ||
| 5 | Luke Tingey © (54m) | ||
| 6 | James Gurteen | ||
| 7 | Sandro Costa | ||
| 8 | Teddy Stacey | ||
| 9 | Juwon Akintunde (46m) | ||
| 10 | Junior Paiva | ||
| 11 | Parris Mason (75m) | ||
| Substitutes | |||
| 12 | Joe Reade (79m) | ||
| 14 | Josh Helmore (46m) | ||
| 15 | Keegan Cole (75m) | ||
| 16 | Micah Jackson (62m) | ||
| 17 | Harry Gallagher (54m) | ||
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The Woods bowed out of the prestigious Senior County Cup on Tuesday night as the Isthmian Premier title chasers edged a close game with all the goals coming in the first-half.
Northwood made changes from Saturday with Josh Helmore and Micah Jackson on the bench while Gareth Chendlik was cup-tied and Carl Stewart rested. In came Juwon Akintunde, Junior Paiva, Teddy Stacey for his first start of the season and new signing Parris Mason, who has been playing step six football this season with Molesey and 
Spartans FC.
Meanwhile, Enfield only had two players starting who had started their League game on Saturday and included one player with a link to the Woods as central midfield player Thomas Payne, son of former Northwood manager Colin Payne – made his debut for the Towners.
And it was the visitors who made a very sharp start. Lyle Della-Verde immediately impressed down the right flank and when he knocked in a cross in the fifth minute, Lucas Jordan allowed it to run through to Jake Cass and the Enfield striker beat Andrew McCorkell at his near-post.
But Northwood recovered pretty well and Enfield picked up a couple of early yellow cards as they tried to repel the home forward-line. Sandro Costa was felled just on the edge of the box, bringing one of those cautions, but Akintunde skied the free-kick.
It was after 20 minutes that the Woods levelled things up. A Luke Tingey long-throw was cleared back out to him and he whipped in a fierce cross which Parris Mason hammered home at the near post, giving goalkeeper Nathan McDonald no chance.
The two sides continued to battle away in an entertaining half with Stacey showing plenty of energy to drive the midfield and both Costa and Mason causing problems on the flanks. But the Towners got their noses back in front on 38 minutes. It was Della-Verde again on the right that caused the problem as he got forward and knocked in what was probably a deep cross. However, it caught out everyone as it dropped under the bar at the far post for a fortunate goal.
There was a further blow just before the break as Akintunde was forced off with a knock to his knee and Helmore replaced him up front.
A corner from Andy Lomas flashed across the face of the goal on 48 minutes but without the required touch and then there was another setback five minutes later as skipper Luke Tingey pulled up with a back injury and was immediately replaced by Harry Gallagher.
It was Gallagher who whipped in a dangerous cross after a cheeky back-heel from Stacey on the hour but again the elusive touch in front of goal was missing.
After Enfield’s Jordan had an effort ruled out for a narrow offside decision, the Woods had a half-chance at the other end but Costa’s strike was straight at McDonald who saved comfortably and then Helmore was presented with a chance as the keeper miscued a clearance but his shot at goal took a deflection and was diverted just wide of the post.
The Woods continued to press as substitutions were made on both sides with James Gurteen firing across the face of goal and a series of accurate corners from subs Micah Jackson and Keagan Cole forced a couple of good punches away from the visitors' experienced keeper.
In the 89th minute, McCorkell made a good save for the Woods to deny Cass a second of the evening and in the four minutes of stoppage-time it was Northwood who kept pushing but the closest they came was a flicked header from Gallagher which went well wide of the target.
It was Enfield Town who just kept themselves in front and move into the last four as they look to win the competition for the first-ever time while the Woods will now be concentrating on their challenge for the top places in the division.
REPORT by Alan Evans
