Northwood suffered a third reverse on the spin with a narrow defeat at the hands of near-neighbours Chalfont St Peter on an evening full of talking points at The Acretweed.

There was a new look to the Woods team, with new signing Tremayne Charles partnering Jabir Laraba in attack in the absence of Andrew Ofosu. Hakim Nyariki and Zaied Sabti came in for Chris Gosling and Dan Pett in midfield while Imran Uche returned from injury to replace the unavailable John Munday in defence.

The contest began at a frenetic pace but it was the visitors who were asking most of the questions in the early stages, with Alex Paine and Charlie Mitchell both going close. Having withstood the early pressure, Woods began to find their composure and threaten the visitors.

And they went close to scoring as Laraba exchanged passes with Sabti but the former was tripped as he looked to round keeper Carl Dennison on the edge of the box and roll the ball into the empty net. To the astonishment of most in the Acretweed crowd, Dennison only received a caution and the ensuing free-kick came to nothing.

Northwood brushed themselves down and continued to press, with Sam Jenkins dragging a shot across the face of goal before Sabti wasn't far off with a bicycle-kick volley. However, Saints finished the half strongly with Paine almost punishing some Northwood indecision as he headed over from a corner, while Michael Kalu rolled shots wide of the target.

The second half was only two minutes old when Woods felt a sense of injustice once more as the visitors were awarded a soft penalty after Uche was adjudged to have impeded Kalu, Adam Morris converting the rebound after Luke Sheldrick had blocked his spot-kick.

Woods gathered themselves and proceeded to creating openings with Charles getting into some useful positions before being crowded out by the Chalfont defence, while Sabti went close once again.

Kyran Worrell replaced Laraba on the hour as Woods freshened up their attack. But they had some defending to do as Adam Kirby had his volleyed attempt gathered by Sheldrick. Woods were looking increasingly dangerous as Worrell lifted the ball past Dennison but agonisingly wide of the post before Charles shot narrowly wide.

Leigh Stevens and Chris Gosling entered the fray, with Kieran Asumadu-Sakyi and Nyariki making way, but Northwood were almost caught on the break as Mitchell broke clear of the home defence but was unable to finish.

The momentum that Northwood had been building was interrupted as the match was halted for over ten minutes after the referee succumbed to injury and a replacement assistant referee was prepared.

However, on the resumption, Charles was denied by Dennison after good work from Sabti and Worrell. Woods kept plugging away but were rebuffed by a determined Chalfont defence.

And the final moment of angst for Northwood arrived at the end of stoppage time as the substitute referee ignored frenzied appeals for a handball in the box from a long Sam Jenkins throw-in, completing a thoroughly disappointing evening for the hosts.