ALLIEDS MATCH REPORTS 2006-07
 

NORTHWOOD YOUTH 1  FARNBOROUGH TOWN YOUTH 3

Not a great performance by Northwood, but credit to the opposition who played neat controlled football and were particularly incisive on the break. A couple of suspensions meant that Northwood had to shuffle the pack which certainly impacted on the shape and the fluency of their football.

Northwood started well and had the upper hand for the first 10 minutes. Mikkelle Thomas might have scored when Ben Trout got to the bye line and pulled the ball back. However Thomas’s goal bound strike was smothered by an alert defender. 

After this Farnborough gained the ascendancy, and helped by some ragged Northwood passing, the opposition retained possession for significant periods.  On 14 minutes Anthony Ladyman made a great one on one save to keep the reds’ goal intact and then in the 35^th minute the keeper made a wonderful save from a 30 yard pile driver. 

Shortly after that Northwood should have taken the lead when a one-two between Trout and Stuart Onslow left the latter clear only for the keeper to make a good save with his legs.

At half time the scoresheet was still goal-less. Northwood brought on Chris White in place of Jack Bennett.

The second half started badly and Farnborough took the lead with a swift counter attack on 54 minutes.  This prompted Northwood to bring on Scott Purdue for Ryan Duffy and undertake a tactical change with Daniel Brown moving in to the midfield area.

Northwood took more of a grip of the game after that, but unfortunately were once more undone on 70 minutes by a counter attack. Anthony Ladyman saved the first shot but was powerless to keep the rebound out.

Northwood hit back within a minute when a pass in to the right hand channel by Mikkelle Thomas was seized upon by Shane O’Neill, who finished neatly in to the corner. Greg Dinham replaced Ben Trout at this point to freshen up the attack, and Northwood continued to press for the equaliser, but it was all up on 88 minutes when some slack defending allowed Farnborough to score a cheap third.

Probably the best team won on the night, and not an evening to remember for Northwood. Daniel Brown shone when he went into midfield, and Shane O’Neill was dangerous when he went out wide. Apart from that not great.

NIGEL TROUT