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 Northwood 1  Real Bedford 3

Saturday 30th November 2024

 

NORTHWOOD
     
     
   
1 Hafad Al Droubi
2 Harry McKenna
3 Kelechi Etienne (46m)
4 Balu Makumbi
5 Jack Empson
6 Jack Smith (89m)
7 Cassius Joseph (76m)
8 Troy Perez-Duah
9 Alex Cathline (68m)
10 Archie James (46m)
11 Nnaemeka Anyanwu
Substitutes
12 Junior Paiva (46m)
14 Chris Ozougwu (89m)
15 Jeremy Stewart (46m)
16 Aaron Benn (68m)
17 Jack Timberlake (76m)
   

Title-chasers Real Bedford maintained their away league form, making it seven wins out of seven thanks to a blistering start at The Skyline Roofing Stadium. 

Northwood were forced into changes from their midweek victory over North Leigh with both Folarins missing. Defender Manny Folarin was serving his one-game suspension while striker Samuel Folarin was ruled out on the day with illness. It meant a recall for Jack Empson at the back while Nnaemeka Anyanwu, who bagged his first Woods goal during the week, moved into the starting line-up. There was a place on the bench for newcomer Aaron Benn who has previous experience with both Arsenal and, more recently, Watford Academy. Alex Cathline returned to the starting line-up as well, with Jack Timberlake reverting to the bench.

The Woods were immediately put to the sword by the visitors who moved the ball around swiftly and confidently. There was just six minutes on the clock when Josh Setchell tricked his way past Kelechi Etienne on the right flank and a simple cut-back gave an unmarked Ben Stevens the opportunity to slot home.

Northwood hadn’t settled at all before the Pirates added a second on eleven minutes. The move was pretty much the same, only the personnel changed. Setchell played an overlapping Callum Nicholson down the right who again managed to get in a cross in, and this time Tom Hitchcock met it at the near post with a deft flick that flew across goal and in off the far post.

Gradually the Woods managed to get some sort of hold in midfield but without finding any joy in the final third and on the half hour, Anthony Agemoh-Davies got forward on the other flank and forced Hafed Al Droubi to keep out his shot at the near post.

PHOTOS by James Brown


Two minutes later, the home side finally threatened the Bedford goal as Cassius Joseph raced forward down the right, got ahead of his marker and hit a right-foot shot that goalkeeper Tyler McGregor managed to block at his near post.

It was only a brief respite though as Real Bedford then extended their lead on 38 minutes. Stevens exchanged passes with Hitchcock on the edge of the box and then saw his effort come back off the post but straight to Setchell lurking in front of goal and he swept it home.

There was a scary moment for the Woods though after 63 minutes as an excellent through ball saw Riley Cotter in on goal and he neatly chipped the ball over Al Droubi and into the net before realising an offside flag was to rule out the goal.

Northwood’s only response before the break was a 25-yard effort from Archie James which was straight at McGregor who claimed comfortably and the Pirates had a solid 3-0 advantage at the interval. Manager Gary Meakin rang the changes at the break, bringing on Junior Paiva, back from injury, for Etienne while Jeremy Stewart replaced James to add a bit more solidity to the midfield area.

And it had that result. The visitors had plenty of possession at the but the Woods competed better defensively and limited them to only a couple of dangerous attacks. One free-kick was flashed across the face of goal but the shot at the far post was skied while a hopeful strike from Stevens was always going wide of the far post.
Northwood made further substitutions with Benn coming on for his debut in place of Cathline who had enjoyed little of the ball. Joseph moved to the centre with Benn on the left before Joseph was himself replaced by Timberlake. 

It was after 80 minutes that Benn found plenty of space to race down the left. He cut into the box and when Jack Morrell dived in for a tackle, the Woods wide man was brought down and the referee pointed to the spot. With regular taker James already off the field, the honour fell to skipper Troy Perez-Duah to take the penalty and he duly tucked it away to reduce the arrears.

Real Bedford were in no mood to allow Northwood to get any more of a foothold in the game and the final ten minutes plus another five passed without any excitement or any further efforts on goal with the only noteworthy incident being an injury to Jack Smith which saw him replaced by Chris Ozougwu.

The Woods now have a midweek break before another tough fixture away at Flackwell Heath, another side promoted from Step 5 last season who are sitting in a strong third-place in the table.

REPORT by Alan Evans



         
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