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Northwood 1  Walton & Hersham 2

Tuesday 14th February 2023

 

NORTHWOOD
     
     
   
1 Andrew McCorkell    
2 Sam Jenkins (89m)    
3 Andy Lomas    
4 Riccardo Alexander-Greenaway    
5 Luke Tingey ©    
6 James Gurteen    
7 Sandro Costa (84m)    
8 Teddy Stacey    
9 Gareth Chendlik    
10 Micah Jackson    
11 Carl Stewart (80m)    
Substitutes  
12 Junior Paiva (84m)    
14 Josh Helmore (80m)    
15 Keagan Cole (89m)    
16 Harry Gallagher    
17 Dan Daggett    
 


Walton: Liam Allen, Darryl Siaw, Harry Mills (Joe Pratley-Jones 46m), Arsen Ujkaj, Mitchal Gough , Joe Hicks, Jordan Adeyemi, Teo Kurturan (Alex Kelly 74m), Eddie Simon, John Gilbert, Taurean Roberts (Palace Francis 73m)

   

Northwood’s play-off ambitions were dealt another blow as they found themselves on the receiving end of a dubious penalty award for the second time in four days in slipping to defeat in the second versus third clash at a misty Skyline Roofing Stadium.

Woods took to the pitch with one change from the disappointing reverse at the weekend, Teddy Stacey making his first league start of the season as the hosts opted for more of a 4-3-3 look with Gareth Chendlik the attacking fulcrum and Josh Helmore dropping to the bench.

The visitors, who came into the game with a three-point advantage on Northwood and looking for a fifth straight win, were quickly into their stride and they rocked the hosts as early as the sixth minute as Jordan Adeyemi latched onto a Teo Kurtaran through-ball and calmly slotted past keeper Andrew McCorkell to give his side the lead.

The Swans soon threatened again and McCorkell did well to deny Adeyemi a second goal as he saved with his legs before the Woods stopper comfortably dealt with a Harry Mills free kick from just outside the box.

Having been very much on the back foot up to that point, Woods gradually began to find their attacking rhythm with Micah Jackson beginning to get on the ball. And it was Jackson’s raking pass which picked out Sandro Costa on the opposite flank, the latter’s cross finding Stacey at the far post but denied by goalkeeper Liam Allen who showed good anticipation to keep out the close-range attempt.

Northwood were enjoying a good spell and continued to push for an equaliser, Allen producing a fine save to turn Jackson’s free kick around the base of the upright. And Woods continued to work some good positions, but the Swans remained a threat on the counter as James Gurteen executed a timely block on John Gilbert’s goal attempt.

PHOTOS by James Brown

Woods finished the half strongly with Chendlik seeing his header deflected behind from Stacey’s cross with Allen making a mess of the resulting corner as he gathered Carl Stewart’s floated set piece at the third attempt with no red shirt able to capitalise.

Northwood began the second period with Stacey looking to get into a more advanced position behind Chendlik with Costa and Jackson dropping in. But Woods soon had some defending to do as Mitch Gough headed over from a corner before Eddie Simon skied a shot when well placed after Adeyemi’s shot deflected off the covering Andy Lomas.

However, Northwood were soon back into their stride as Stacey stung the palms of Allen with a 25-yard drive before the Swans keeper kept out Stewart’s effort from the edge of the box. And Northwood deservedly restored parity with an equaliser on 56 minutes – Chendlik’s header from Jackson’s corner rebounding off the far post and back into the mix with Gurteen getting the final touch for his second league goal in three games.

But having worked so hard to get back into the contest, Northwood were delivered a body blow as the referee adjudged Simon to have been impeded by Costa as the latter delivered a perfectly timed interception to clear the ball with the Swans striker shaping to shoot -  many in the ground believing the man in red to have been the victim of a foul rather than the perpetrator - Allen gathering his composure to make no mistake from the penalty spot to restore the visitors' lead on 71 minutes.

Northwood’s frustrations were clear to see with Head Coach Ben Bukowski arguing his point too vociferously for the liking of the match officials and being dismissed from the technical area. But Woods dusted themselves down and went looking for a second equaliser, Jackson and Riccardo Alexander-Greenaway trying their luck with shots which flew wide of the target.

Woods used their full quota of substitutes during the last ten minutes of normal time, Helmore, Junior Pavia and Keagan Cole replacing Stewart, Sandro and Jenkins respectively, as they kept up the pressure on the Swans who were encamped in their own half as they looked to protect their lead.

But with the contest in the third minute of surprisingly only four minutes of added time given the amount of delays in the second period, Woods squandered a glorious chance to grab a share of the points – Jackson’s free kick to the far post being headed back across by Gurteen to the unmarked Cole in the six-yard box, but he was unable to get over the ball as his header flew over the crossbar much to the despair of the Northwood players and supporters.

But it wasn’t to be for a Northwood team whose performance deserved so much more. However, Woods remain very much in the play-off frame but needing to reverse a poor run of results starting with a return to Surrey and a first ever visit to Merstham on Saturday.

REPORT by Robin Piper



         
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