Guernsey 1 Northwood 2
.jpg)
Saturday 19th November 2022
| NORTHWOOD | |||
 |
|||
| 1 | Andrew McCorkell | ||
| 2 | Harry Gallagher | ||
| 3 | Brandon Kalu | ||
| 4 | Riccardo Alexander-Greenaway | ||
| 5 | Luke Tingey © | ||
| 6 | James Gurteen  |
||
| 7 | Ronan Hutchins (90m) | ||
| 8 | Jake Tabor (90m) |
||
| 9 | Juwon Akintunde (78m) |
||
| 10 | Sydney Ibie | ||
| 11 | Carl Stewart | ||
| Substitutes | |||
| 12 | Andy Lomas | ||
| 14 | Josh Helmore (90m) | ||
| 15 | Romario Jonas (90m) | ||
| 16 | Micah Jackson (78m) | ||
| 17 | Joe Reade | ||
|
|||
Northwood ensured it was a happy flight home from their Channel Islands trip after they staged a second half recovery to overcome Guernsey at the Footes Lane Stadium. Woods named an unchanged team as they sought to register their first away win since overcoming Basingstoke Town six weeks previously, having had a flurry of home games and a defeat at Uxbridge since.
The hosts, still looking for a first home league win of the season, began in a positive mode as they forced Woods do some defending in the early 
stages – keeper Andrew McCorkell gathering a low shot from Danny Hale before Liam Mahon’s long throw into the visitors’ box was deflected wide for a corner from which Samuel Murray’s header was blocked by the Northwood defence.
And the Green Lions’ positive start was rewarded as a throw-in found its way to Kieran Mahon in the Woods box and the latter’s floated cross was met by Murray, who powered his header beyond McCorkell to open the scoring on nine minutes.
Northwood were immediately on the attack as they looked to respond and Luke Tingey’s long throw shaved the Guernsey crossbar with Riccardo Alexander-Greenaway’s header being blocked, Jake Tabor retrieving the ball before hitting the deck as he was challenged in the box with the referee deeming it an act of simulation and producing a yellow card.
Woods had showed little in attack in a scrappy opening twenty minutes with Tingey’s throw being the main offensive weapon, this time the ball falling to Carl Stewart who failed to get a clear connection on his shot from the edge of the box. Meanwhile Sydney Ibie and Jake Tabor swapped wings with the latter cutting in from the right before seeing his shot dealt with by goalkeeper Josh Addison.
PHOTOS by James Brown
Juwon Akintunde was the next to threaten for Northwood as his turn and low cross was kept out by Addison with Ibie ready to pounce, while a Tabor corner caused problems in the Guernsey defence as Woods continued to knock on the door. Another Tingey throw was dispatched into the Guernsey box with Alexander-Greenaway heading wide as Northwood finished the half strongly but sill behind at the break.
After Woods had dealt with an early Guernsey corner, play switched to the other end once again with Harry Gallagher heading across the face of goal after latching onto Ronan Hutchins’ hanging cross.
Northwood kept up their improved showing with Tabor firing a shot across the face of goal and they finally found a way through on 61 minutes as Alexander-Greenaway crashed home the ball for his first Woods goal following a block on Hutchins’ shot.
Woods made a change as Josh Helmore replaced Hutchins, and the rejuvenated visitors completed the turnaround by taking the lead on 67 minutes with James Gurteen heading home his first league goal on his 50th league appearance after Alexander-Greenaway had flicked on Tabor’s near post corner.
Guernsey looked shellshocked, but they gathered themselves and Woods had a scare as McCorkell’s mis-punch was dealt with by the covering Brandon Kalu, who was enjoying a fine game at left-back, and who cleared the danger. Alexander-Greenaway, who was driving the Northwood midfield, sent over a crossfield pass which was volleyed across first time by Gallagher to Tabor in the box, but his shot was blocked for a corner.
The Green Lions made a double substitution as they looked for a way back into the game while Northwood made a second substitution as Micah Jackson was introduced for Akintunde. And Woods threatened to extend their lead as Gallagher saw his free-kick gathered by Addison and Tabor dragged a shot wide of the far post. While at the other end, McCorkell safely gathered a Jacob Fallaize flick-on from another long throw into the box.
Woods had a couple of gilt-edged chances to make the game safe in added time – Helmore having a close-range shot blocked after a good work between Tabor and Ibie before the same player fired over after Ibie’s pullback.
There was still time for a welcome return to action for Romario Jonas following his lengthy injury absence when he replaced Tabor and the substitute made sure there were no late dramas with a couple of timely interventions to put the seal on a hard-fought win for Northwood which saw them increase their lead at the top to seven points.
REPORT by Robin Piper
