Saturday 20th March 1976
NORTHWOOD SURRENDER 3-1 LEAD AND VITAL POINT
NORTHWOOD 3 HARROW ST MARY 3
Northwood threw away a 3-1 lead on Saturday, and with it a valuable Middlesex League point. Their chances of catching top-of-the-table Yeading are fading rapidly, and will expire altogether if they produce many more performances like this one.
They were obviously a cut above their opponents in terms of skill, but could not match them for effort and application. Harrow went ahead in the 10th minute when the ball fell invitingly for Lewandowski to rifle home from 20 yards.
As they tried to hit back, Northwood’s casual finishing repeatedly let them down as they tried to equalise. However, they did draw level on the half-hour when Heslop raced through to shoot home affine drive, and then they went ahead when Coburn crossed on to Cooper’s lethal forehead.
The Woods increased their lead to 3-1 through a superbly arrogant goal from Franklin, who strolled up to the Harrow penalty area before unleashing a ferocious pile-driver. Northwood now got light-headed and tried to go for a silly score, while Harrow merely kept their heads down and played their normal, dogged game.
They were rewarded with a goal from Ettienne, who nodded the ball home after an untidy melee, and then another by Fairman, who was presented with his chance by the cool thinking of Penny, who passed when he might have shot himself.
As one of the Northwood officials put it after the game: “At times were are magic, but sometimes we complete the act by disappearing too often.”
Northwood: Russell, Hammond, Harman, Mills, Saunders, Tidd, Franklin, Coburn, Cooper, Heslop, Jones, sub. P. Byrne.
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