Northwood 1 Stotfold 0

Saturday 16th November 2024

NORTHWOOD




1	Hafad Al Droubi
2	Harry McKenna
3	Kelechi Etienne
4	Balu Makumbi
5	Manny Folarin
6	Jack Smith (61m)
7	Cassius Joseph (91m)
8	Stefan Powell
9	Alex Cathline (73m)
10	Troy Perez-Duah
11	Archie James
Substitutes
12	Jack Empson (91m)
14	Jeremy Stewart
15	Mark McLeod
16	Nnaemeka Anyanwu (61m)
17	Godlove Oppong (73m)

After seven long weeks without a home league game, it proved a successful welcome back for the Woods as they notched their first league win at The Skyline Roofing Stadium since late March thanks to a late penalty to dispose of in-form Stotfold.

There were just a couple of changes to the starting line-up with top scorer Archie James returning after injury while Cassius Joseph made his starting debut in place of Samuel Folarin who was unavailable for the match having made his first start just a week earlier. There was also a new face on the bench in Nnaemeka Anyanwu who is on Slough Town’s Development squad’s books but has been playing for Isthmian North side Basildon United.

Visitors Stotfold, who notched three successive wins to climb away from the danger zone and drew with title-chasers Hadley in midweek, were able to welcome back defender Daniel Sears after a spell at Step 3 side Hitchin Town.

With that confidence behind them, it was no surprise that the Eagles started quickly and put the Woods defence under plenty of pressure, yet it was Northwood who posed an early threat on goal. Troy Perez-Duah broke down the left and sent over an inviting cross which was scrambled away but back to him and his deflected shot then flew straight at goalkeeper Liam Gooch. Two minutes later, Joseph had his first success, bursting forward and getting a shot in but that few wide of the target.

There was 17 minutes on the clock when Stotfold recorded their first effort on goal but a long-range effort was an easy claim for Hafed Al Droubi in goal and five minutes later the Woods broke again with a chip from Jack Smith giving Joseph a sniff but Gooch was out of goal to bravely block his effort.

The game continued to flow quickly from end-to-end with Perez-Duah finding space but shooting wide while some good work from Rio Da Silva saw the best strike so far tipped over by Al Droubi. The Woods keeper then set up a quick attack with a cross-field ball that released Perez-Duah again, though this time his cross was too close to Gooch who cut out the danger. A minute later, Joseph beat his marker and hit a low shot from just outside the box but Gooch got down well and gathered it at the second attempt.

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PHOTOS by James Brown

The Eagles were awarded a free-kick just outside the box but the strike was comfortable for Al Droubi and after 38 minutes the impressive Da Silva worked his was across the box and hit a shot that clipped the outside of the post as the visitors continued to threaten and they almost grabbed the lead just before the break. The ball was knocked in from the left, headed away by Balu Makumbi but only as far as Haroon Meriai. His strike was blocked by Makumbi but it fell to Tommy Reynolds who looked to fire home at the near post, only to see his effort blocked by Al Droubi.

But it was the Woods who started the second half well and on 48 minutes it was Stotfold keeper Gooch who kept his side level as he blocked a shot on the turn from Alex Cathline and then also the follow-up effort from James.
The Eagles were soon pressing again though and after 59 minutes, Al Droubi got a vital touch to push James Peters’ long-range strike up and onto the inside of the post with the ball rebounding across goal before being cleared.

Both sides continued to look for the crucial opening goal with the Woods increasing attacking options with the introductions of Anyanwu and Godlove Oppong for Smith and Cathline and Oppong went close after 76 minutes, following up after Harry McKenna’s effort was blocked by a possible handball but again it was blocked by some good defending.

After 80 minutes, a deep corner was met by a strong header but Al Droubi tipped it over the top and just a minute later Joseph raced into the Stotfold area and was taken down by Aaron Diviney with the Referee immediately pointing to the spot. James stepped up to take the pressure penalty and hit it hard enough to beat Gooch in goal despite the keeper getting a hand to it.

It could have been a long final spell for the Woods but in fact, they went closest to adding to the scoreline when man of the match Joseph again got into the box from the left and forced Gooch into another fine save on 85 minutes.

There were five minutes of stoppage-time to survive too, though, but the closest the Eagles came was a long throw into the box which Al Droubi repelled with a strong punch away. The three valuable points belonged to the Woods.

REPORT by Alan Evans



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