Ware 0  Northwood 1

Saturday 2nd November 2024

NORTHWOOD
1	Hafad Al Droubi
2	Junior Paiva
3	Kelechi Etienne
4	Jack Empson
5	Balu Makumbi
6	Jack Smith (72m)
7	Harry McKenna
8	Troy Perez-Duah
9	Alex Cathline (63m)
10	Archie James ©
11	Ibrahim Lukulay (82m)
Substitutes
12	Jeremy Stewart
14	Mark McLeod (82m)
15	Godlove Oppong (72m)
16	Sam Odusoga
17	Samuel Folarin (63m)

Northwood climbed off the bottom of the Central Division table with this narrow and hard-fought victory away at mid-table Ware on Saturday, making it a successful start to Gary Meakin’s first game as manager back at the club.

The Woods’ new management team rang the changes to the squad but there were only three new signings in the starting line-up, though all played a significant role in the victory. Key to this was the return of Hafed Al Droubi in goal, who produced a man of the match performance, four years since his last dozen appearances for the club in the Covid-hit 2020/21 campaign. Ex-Rayners Lane midfielder Troy Perez-Duah, having been playing in the Romanian Second Division, added great energy in the centre of midfield while Alex Cathline came in to add experience to the front-line, replacing Ade Gbolahan who moved to the Woods last opponents Hertford Town a few days earlier following a 7-day approach and big-money offer.

The central defensive area was revamped with Balu Makumbi returning from Slough Town on dual-registration, more than a month after his last appearance and he partnered Jack Empson who had also missed the last few weeks. Finally, Ibrahim Lukulay returned from a two-month injury lay-off to boost attacking options.

Ware, who have reached the play-offs in each of the last three seasons, have not found the same consistency as yet this time around but had won two of their last three going into this fixture so would have been looking to improve their position with a home win.

But it was certainly the Woods who made the brighter start. Lukulay was first to have an effort on goal with a shot that drifted wide on six minutes but Perez-Duah was also quickly into his stride. After 14 minutes he latched onto a good ball from Harry McKenna but saw his shot deflected wide. Then, from the resulting corner, the ball dropped to the same player but this time his effort was blocked.

The Woods goalkeeper was first brought into action four minutes later when a corner dropped to Johnny Allotey and his shot on the turn spun towards goal and Al Droubi parried it wide to avoid the danger. Northwood were straight back up the other end though when Jack Smith put a superbly weighted ball through to McKenna who had got in behind a defender. His first touch took it to near to goalkeeper Fred Burbidge though and he dropped on it safely.

Ware were limited to a long-range effort from Jack Dreyer which was hooked well wide but the Woods perhaps should have taken the lead on 22 minutes. Burbidge raced out of his area to just beat Archie James to a through-ball but it fell to Cathline who took aim and chipped the ball from 30 yards but it landed on the roof of the empty net.

Al Droubi made a comfortable save at his near-post from Allotey soon after but on 40 minutes, Northwood grabbed the all-important opening-goal. It was a short corner on the left that saw Lukulay play it back to Kelechi Etienne who hit it crisply and precisely across goal and in off the far post leaving the keeper motionless for the former Shrewsbury Town youngster’s first goal for the club.

Taking a slender lead into the second-half, the Woods again started well enough with Lukulay and Cathline combining to set up McKenna for a shot who’s left-footed strike was blocked for a corner. Four minutes later, Lukulay did well again, coming in from the left, past three defenders and laying the ball off to James but it needed a quick finish and he took a touch before seeing his effort blocked.

Northwood picked up a couple of needless yellow cards at this stage, James for simulation and Etienne for tying his shoelaces when told not to, before a tiring Cathline was replaced with another new recruit, youngster Sam Folarin who was with Portsmouth last season.

It was at the same stage that Ware began to threaten more and a good cross from the left saw Dreyer up for a header which Al Droubi kept out with an instinctive block by a strong hand. Two minutes later, James got free down the left and cut in to shoot low. Burbidge could only push it out but with McKenna closing in on the loose ball, a defender did well to stretch to put it out for a corner. 

It was after 69 minutes that Al Droubi made the save of the game as Allotey worked himself into a shooting position up against Etienne and let fly with a fierce shot but the Woods keeper was equal to it, flying to his right to push it wide of the far post. From the resulting corner, Jon Clements was at the near-post to flick a header towards goal but it flew just wide of the post.

Godlove Oppong replaced Jack Smith for the final twenty minutes and was on defensive duties soon after as a long-throw saw his attempted header head for his own goal. Clements was there to redirect another header but it ended up on the roof of the net and it was the same result for another Ware header from a corner as they continued to press for an equaliser.

On 82 minutes, it was time for the introduction of another new signing in midfielder Mark McLeod who replaced Lukulay in an effort to bolster the defensive midfield area and it appeared to work as Ware were continually thwarted in the closing-stages. There were six minutes of added-time to survive and during this time it was the Woods who went closest. McKenna got forward and cut a ball back neatly to Oppong who hit the target but was denied by a save from Burbidge in goal.

The final whistle signalled three valuable points for the new-look Woods side and their first clean-sheet of the season for the hard-working defence. It’s clearly something to build on in the coming weeks but first they go to Rayners Lane in midweek in the quarter-finals of the Middlesex Senior Cup with additional confidence behind them.

REPORT by Alan Evans