BetVictor
Isthmian League
South Central

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WORDS:
Robin Piper   
PICTURES:
James Brown

Festive cheer was in short supply for Northwood as they slipped to their sixth home league defeat of the season in front of a healthy Boxing Day crowd at the AcreTweed.

Woods lined up with former Saint Jordan Payne at centre-back and new signing Yiannis Constantinou on the left flank. There was also a return from injury for Mack Miskin at left-back, but Northwood had to do without the services of injured skipper Charlie Hayford while central defender Ethan Flanagan reverted to the subs bench along with Luke Holness.

The match was slow to ignite as both sides struggled in the wet and blustery conditions, Harry Lodovica and Charlie Malin's long range efforts which failed to trouble Chalfont keeper Michael Anguzu the only moments worthy of mention in the opening 20 minutes.

However, Woods gradually began to find their attacking rhythm and Lodovica wasn't far away with an attempted chip to the far corner after Tyrone Pink had combined with Eric Lopes.

And the lively Lopes then tried his luck from distance but was wide of the target while at the other end, Dan Williams sent a long range shot sailing over the Northwood crossbar.

But the deadlock was broken slightly against the run off play as Woods conceded a free-kick in a central position, Owen James converting from 25 yards with a low shot via an upright to give Saints a 36th minute lead.

Northwood looked to restore parity before the half-time break and Lodovica was involved again as he stepped up to take a free-kick from a useful position but was unable to get his effort on target as it cleared the Chalfont crossbar. And Lodovica  had a another opportunity on the stroke of half-time as Anguzu slipped as he attempted to clear former Northwood skipper Carl Pearce’s back pass but the young Woods attacker got in a bit of a tangle as he looked to convert from a tight angle.

The persistent rain had relented during the interval and Northwood resumed in a positive manner as they created a succession of useful openings, with Pink seeing his shot gathered by Anguzu before another effort was inadvertently blocked by his team-mate Lopes. Woods kept up the momentum and another incisive move saw Lodovica feed Gabriel Piorkowski whose curling shot narrowly flew wide of the far upright.

But the wind was taken out of Woods’ sails as the hosts conceded an all too familiar soft goal when the defence was caught out by Anguzu’s goal-kick which found its way to Dan Williams, who made no mistake with a clinical finish to extend the Saints’ lead on 61 minutes. Williams went close to adding another moments later as he broke clear of the Northwood defence but his shot was blocked by keeper Joe Ringer.

Northwood made a change as Luke Holness replaced Pink on the right flank, and the hosts threatened as Constantinou shot into the side-netting following a Lopes free-kick before the latter saw a shot deflected behind for a corner.

Woods kept plugging away but they were foundering upon a solid Chalfont backline although Lopes and Piorkowski both went close in latter stages. But there was to be no coming back for Northwood as the Saints held firm to take the points on another disappointing afternoon for Woods at the AcreTweed.