Northwood 0 Beaconsfield Town 2
Saturday 10th August 2024
| NORTHWOOD | |||
 |
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| 1 | Dan Hosier | ||
| 2 | Harry McKenna (81m) | ||
| 3 | David Agyemang | ||
| 4 | Prince Mbengui (81m) | ||
| 5 | Jack Empson | ||
| 6 | Harry Gallagher © | ||
| 7 | Cameron Pooni (58m) | ||
| 8 | Jeremy Stewart (46m)  |
||
| 9 | Jordan Brown | ||
| 10 | Archie James | ||
| 11 | Ibrahim Lukulay (81m) | ||
| Substitutes | |||
| 12 | Greg Wright (81m) | ||
| 14 | Jordan Kinoshi (58m) | ||
| 15 | Sam Odusoga (81m) | ||
| 16 | Manu Oke-William (46m) | ||
| 17 | Michael Kelly (81m) | ||
|
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With both sides starting their new league campaign in a different division and with almost completely new squads, a close-encounter was expected but it was the visitors, recently relegated from Step 3, that were able to boast an opening-day victory and edged this battle.
Scott Donnelly had made a couple of changes to the previous week’s starting line-up with Harry McKenna dropping into the right-back spot, Cameron Pooni making his debut on the right of the attack and Jordan Bro
wn taking over the central striker role from Manu Oke-William who was amongst the subs bench.
The Rams made a very good start to the game, dominating the early stages and creating several chances with goalkeeper Dan Hosier making a save from Jamie Davies after just two minutes and after a series of attacks and a couple of corners, Davies had another effort comfortably taken by the Woods keeper.
Northwood’s only foray into the final third was from Pooni who got down the right and sent over a cross which Rams goalkeeper Ed Brearey grabbed at the second attempt with Brown closing in.
The Woods struggled to get any grip of the game in the midfield area, with Jeremy Stewart picking up an early yellow card for a late challenge and then Davies set up Lauric Diakiesse for a shot which had Hosier beaten but Harry Gallagher was alert enough to clear from the six-yard line with a goal likely.
Jo Lawal was causing a few issues with his trickery down the right flank and delivery of corners and one of the latter on 30 minutes almost cost the Woods as it hit the near post as it curled in.
But on 32 minutes, the Woods had probably the best chance of the half so far as a ball dropped kindly in the box to Brown but his shot was well saved at his left post by the Oxford United loanee Brearey.
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PHOTOS by James Brown
Half-time was approaching with the contest more level but with just one minute of stoppage-time added, it proved enough when Beaconsfield grabbed the opening goal. Lawal knocked in the corner and despite two Woods players at the near post, neither got a touch and it flew through to an unmarked Ben Tricker who tapped it home at the far post.
There was an enforced change at the break with Stewart limping off but also a change of shape, with Oke-William his replacement. The Woods needed to get onto the front-foot quickly to turn things around and they were gifted an opportunity as two defenders missed a clearance just inside their own half and Ibrahim Lukulay was through one-on-one. He took it forward into the box where Brearey was waiting and as he tried to take it past him, the Rams keeper did well to grab the ball off him and prevent an equaliser.
The Rams continued to look dangerous on the break and Jack Empson did well to intercept on one occasion but after 59 minutes Oke-William did well to get ahead of his marker but again Brearey was able to save his effort on goal with Pooni firing too high from the rebound.
Pooni was replaced by Jordan Kinoshi a couple of minutes later but the Rams were next to go close when a good strike from Troy Silvera hit the crossbar and the rebound was cleared away with goal appeals waved away.
But a second goal wasn’t far away and it came on 69 minutes as the Woods found themselves stretched at the back and Josh Marcon stole in round the back. Hosier did well to keep out his first effort but the ball rebounded kindly and the same player drilled it back into the net.
Five minutes later the Woods went close to pulling a goal back as Oke-William saw his effort deflected just wide and then, from the resulting corner, Gallagher got his head to it but the ball flew over the bar.
Both sides took full advantage of the new league ruling that now allows all five substitutes to be used, with the Woods introducing Sam Odusoga for McKenna and giving debuts to both Greg Wright and 16-year-old Michael Kelly, replacing Prince Mbengui and Lukulay.
The Rams saw out the final stages comfortably though and it meant Northwood suffered their first opening-day defeat of a league season since 2020. They need to pick themselves up in advance of a midweek trip to AFC Dunstable who made the play-offs last season but suffered a 6-0 defeat at Flackwell Heath in their first fixture.
REPORT by Alan Evans
