Northwood Under 18 3 Barnet (Black) Under 18 1

Thursday 3rd March 2011

Northwood U18		Ryman Youth League Chestnut Avenue, Northwood
Chezney Cassell	1	Kick Off
Tommy Day	2	7.45 p.m.
Gbenga Adelana	3	H/T
Julian Smith	4	0-1
Sean Hollowed	5	Scorers
Dwayne Cole-Parkes	6	Northwood
John Uche	7	Walker 2, Douglas
Liam McGrath	8
Jordan Douglas	9	Barnet
Julian Cole	10	Allen
Damilola Thomas	11
Romaine Walker (2)	12
Nathan McLeod (4)	14
Jack Hutchinson (10)	15
-	17
-	18

Northwood stormed back with an improved second-half performance to take all three points in this Ryman Youth League encounter against the Barnet Academy.

After a bright start which saw Jordan Douglas almost put the Woods in front with a clever flick to a Julian Cole cross, Barnet shocked Northwood by taking an early lead when Ifeanyi Allen cut in from the right and fired home, giving Chezney Cassell no chance.

The Woods had to work hard to ensure that the visitors didn’t increase the lead with Liam McGrath breaking up attacks in the midfield and also having the best chance to equalise with a shot which flashed just over the crossbar. Perry Dicker went close for the visitors but the game reached half-time without any further threats to the Northwood goal.

Just four minutes into the second-half top scorer Romaine Walker was introduced as a substitute, having been rested after playing for the reserve side on Tuesday night. He was soon into the action with a run and cross which the visitors’ keeper just kept out. After 53 minutes Douglas was felled by a kick in the area and Walker stepped up to fire home an equaliser from the penalty-spot.

The introduction of Nathan McLeod as a second substitute also had a positive effect on the Woods’ attacking prowess. Damilola Thomas went close with an attempted chip and then even closer with a shot from close range which was well saved. Then another run from Walker saw him race past two defenders and the goalkeeper before cutting back and seeing his shot blocked for a corner.

After 66 minutes Walker played a neat exchange of passes with Douglas but saw his shot pushed wide, and the Woods were still looking for a winner when Jack Hutchinson, another regular in the reserves in recent weeks, was brought on as replacement for Cole six minutes later.

After 75 minutes they got the important second goal as McLeod won the ball in midfield and strode forward before squaring into the centre where Walker was lurking to knock the ball in from close-range.

Cassell made one comfortable save from a free-kick to ensure that there was no chance of a comeback from Barnet and then the Woods added a third goal on 86 minutes. Gbenga Adelana knocked in a free-kick and Hutchinson did really well to beat his marker and shoot for goal. The ‘keeper failed to hold on and it was Douglas who was quickest to the loose ball to slot home.

McLeod’s long-range effort almost added a fourth but the ball flashed just over the bar and the Woods had to be satisfied with a 3-1 victory.

Report: ALAN EVANS