Northwood FC 2-1 Ashford Town: The Woods come from behind to pick up three vital points in relegation dog fight.

A picture of Northwood celebrating Jaden Sharman’s winner against Ashford Town.

On the 7th March 2020 Northwood FC hosted Ashford Town in a bottom of the table battle in the BetVictor Isthmian South Central Division. Before the game the two teams sat down the bottom of the league with Northwood 1 place off bottom and Ashford 17th but this didn’t reflect the quality or desire shown on the day.

On a cloudy but warm spring day at the AcreTweed Stadium, it was a tale of two halves as Ashford took the lead on the brink of halftime but Northwood responded late in the second half with two goals in quick concession to snatch all three points from the grasp of Ashford.  Both teams showed quality, fight and passion but it was Northwood who came out on top who continued to play their football and capitalised when Ashford were caught napping.

It was Ashford who set the tone for the game and came out looking dangerous. They knocked the ball around with intent and purpose in the opening minutes and in the 8th minute a corner taken by Hafid Bounyafe found a towering Max Webb who rose well and bulleted a header wide.

Two minutes later Northwood goalkeeper Tyla Dickinson was called into action on his debut as he pulled off a smart save to divert Aaron Petch’s long range dipping effort around the post.

Ashford continued to apply the pressure and had a few half-chances here and there but nothing goal-worthy. The woods’ defensive resilience was working and they continued to weather the early pressure always looking to patiently knock the ball around trying to find a way through the Ashford defence.

Northwood gradually began to find their feet and had a few promising attacks of their own. Radu Stefanoaica was beginning to make an impression on the left flank with a couple of useful runs plus crosses and both sides were looking to break whenever possible as the half wore on.

A picture of Darryl Harrison in possession of for Ashford Town.

Sadly, the home side were forced into making an early change in the 38th minutes as Stefanoaica was unable to continue due to a knock to his ankle which was frustrating for Northwood as he was starting to find his rhythm. Lopes came on and took his place.

The Visitors picked up from where they left off earlier in the half and continued to cause problems for the home side. Their determination was rewarded deep into extra time as an in-swinging corner from Aaron Petch was met by skipper Max Webb who rose high like a salmon again at the far post but this time made no mistake. Debut keeper Dickinson had no chance stopping it and Ashford took the lead right before the half-time whistle.

Northwood came out after half time looking surprisingly calm considering they were a goal down and this must’ve played to their advantage as they were gaining more and more momentum as time went on. On the other hand, Ashford never looked settled in the second half and couldn’t find the flow they had in the first half.

Ashford had their chance to increase the gap between them and the home side because on the 55th minute Mario Embalo did well to get into the box and clip the ball over the advancing Dickinson at the near post, only for the ball to spin and clip the outside of the post and go out.

Ashford would come to rue the chance that wasn’t capitalised on as just after the hour-mark substitute Ahmed Elsahib was quickly into action as he opened his Northwood account with the equaliser when he forced the ball home after Sharman’s shot was blocked following a slick move involving Toti, Hart and Jones.

A picture of Ahmed Elsihab’s equaliser against Ashford Town.

Ashford were then forced into making a change on 69 minutes because William Boye was seriously struggling after what appeared to be a clash of heads resulting in a concussion. Concerns grew for the condition of the left-back with an ambulance being called to the ground; good news arriving later in the evening that Boyes was on the mend in hospital.

After the restart it was Northwood who pressed on after gaining good momentum from their first goal. The comeback was completed in the 72nd minute when Elsahib set up Sharman after the latter had combined with Lopes before slotting the ball beyond former Woods keeper Aaron Bufton and make it 2-1.

The game was far from over though as it was fast-paced, end-to-end stuff but Ashford were growing increasingly desperate and they started throwing men forward. Woods almost put the game to bed in the 85th minute as they exploited the gaps with a quick break but Hart was denied by a superb point-blank save from Bufton after good work from Lopes.

The final few moments were played out with both sides coming close to scoring as Lopes was involved once again as he advanced on the Ashford box and shot narrowly wide as he chose to goal for with the option of playing in Hart who was alongside him.

The match was becoming increasingly hectic as it entered four minutes of added time and Embalo set Bounyafe up with a nice layoff who then rattled the Northwood woodwork with a rocket from outside the box. The mayhem wasn’t over yet though as the ball fell back to Embalo in the box who managed to get a snapshot off which looked to be going in when Dickinson makes an unreal diving save to virtually secure all three points.

The last action of the game was with Lopes who shot from distance into unguarded Ashford net after Bufton had come up for a corner but is nowhere near the target.

As the game blew up Romario Hart and Joe Noakes had a big coming together causing the usual non-league ‘handbags’ to come out with  all the players coming together. Both players were cautioned for their parts to play.

A picture of Romario Hart getting a hold of a through ball for Northwood.

In the end it was a deserved three points for the Woods who now come out of the relegation zone after a great comeback in this relegation dog fight.

Highlights of the game can be found here.

Northwood FC: Tyla Dickinson,  Luke Jones, Jaden Sharman, Haluna Masembe, Craig Carby, Dave Thomas©, Radu Stefanoaica (Eric Lopes, 38 Mins), Marcelo Graca, Romario Hart, Lucas Toti (Ryan Phillips, 82 Mins), Mihai-Andrei Chiriac (Ahmed Elsahib, 60 Mins).

Subs not used: Excellence Muhemba, Yiannis Constantinou.

Ashford Town: Aaron Bufton, Rylan Myers (Kelvin Adjei, 76 Mins), William Boye (Joe Noakes, 68 Mins), Tommy Brunton, Samad Kazi, Darryl Harrison, Hafid Bounyafe, Max Webb©, Daniel Brown (Sam Humphreys, 46 Mins), Mario Embalo, Aaron Petch.

Subs not used: Elijah Ogunseye, Joe Green.

Attendance: 111

-Dan Davies

Preview: BetVictor Isthmian South Central Division – Northwood FC Vs Ashford Town.

A picture from the first encounter this season between Northwood and Ashford Town.

On the 7th March 2020 Northwood will encounter Ashford Town in a bottom of the table battle in the BetVictor Isthmian South Central Division at The AcreTweed Stadium. The two teams currently sit down towards the bottom of the league with Northwood 1 place off bottom and Ashford in 17th so this is going to be one big relegation dog fight. It may not play out to be the most mesmerising game but should be an energetic, passionate and an all-round hard fought out fight to the death.

The BetVictor Isthmian South Central Division standings before the game.

Last time out:

Northwood – The Woods last played during the week as they took on 9th placed Marlow away from home. Unfortunately, the fell short and lost 1-0 to a 74th minute strike by Isaac Olorunfemi in a tight match. This could be a negative as they’ll go into this weeks game with less confidence or it could go the other way and they could show a much-needed reaction.

Ashford Town – They didn’t have a game last week as bad weather postponed their fixture along with the majority of the other league games. They also had no midweek match so we have to go all the way back to the 22nd of February where they came up against 12th placed Bedfont Sports and drew 0-0 away from home. This is a decent result so they’ll look to build on this going into this week’s game.

Last meetings:

The two teams have met twice so far this season with the first time being in the Velocity Trophy Group 8. Northwood triumphed in this tie beating Ashford away from home in a narrow 1-0 victory thanks to a goal in the 73rd minute by Louis Bircham.

The second meeting was two months later in the league where Ashford were the hosts once again. Northwood also came out on top in this fixture in a jampacked game with four goals and a red card by Ashford’s Rylan Myers. The game ended 3-1 to Northwood who put in another good performance away from home at the Robert Parker Stadium.

A picture from the second meeting between Northwood and Ashford Town.

Stats:

Northwood – The Woods have the worst goal difference in the league as they’ve conceded 79 goals already so far this season whilst only being able to score 31 giving them a -48GD. They’ve won one out of their last thirteen, conceding 30 goals and only replying with a mere 9. Their last win came on the 25th February against Marlow in a 1-0 win and their top joint top scorers are Alex Witham and Eric Lopes with six. Lastly, they’ve only managed to win three games at home all season whilst drawing one and losing eleven.

Ashford Town –  Ashford also have a dire goal difference as they’ve conceded 68 and have replied with 27 giving them a -41GD. they’ve won two games, drawn one and lost two out of their last five whilst conceding seven and scoring five. Their last win came on the 18th February against fellow relegations candidates Staines Town as they picked up a massive three points in a 2-0 win at home and their top scorer is Daniel Brown with nine. Lastly, they’ve won two games, drawn four and lost seven away from home this season so far.


Key Players:

Northwood – Eric Lopes: He’s the one to watch for the Woods with his skilful footwork and lightning pace. His ability to create moments of magic out of nothing is crucial for this team in order to get the goals to keep them up. His directness gives nightmares for defenders all game but sometimes he can be seen to be a little greedy in situations.

A picture of Eric Lopes in action against South Park.

Ashford Town – Daniel Brown: He’s the man to watch for Ashford as he’sstrong like an ox up top who is extremely hard to dispossess and he tirelessly runs and pressures the back line when in possession of the ball forcing defenders to make mistakes. He’s also a clinical finisher with a spring in his step as he’s quick off the mark on his first few yards which allows his to get away from opposition players and get shots off.

Prediction:

It will either go one way or the other and it’ll be a goal frenzy as they both have dire defensive records or it’ll be goalless as they both have awful goal scoring records as well. Either way this is an interesting tie as a win for any of the teams is vital to push away from the relegation zone and stay ahead of the other.

I believe it will be a very hard, fought out match with a lot of passion and Northwood have already won the two previous meetings meaning Ashford will be hungry for revenge but Northwood will also be right up for this. I think both teams will get something out of this game and it will be a draw.

Prediction: Northwood 1-1 Ashford Town

-Dan Davies

Extended Highlights: Hanwell Town 6-1 Waltham Abbey

Below are the extended highlights of Hanwell Town vs Waltham Abbey in The Bet Victor Isthmian South Central Division. The game took place on the 22nd February 2020 at Reynolds Field.

Before the game Hanwell sat second in the table with a game in hand whilst Bedfont Sports sat in a playoff spot in 5th. The game turned out to be an absolute thriller with some unbelievable goals. Enjoy!

GAME:

-Dan Davies

Player Ratings: Hanwell Town 6-1 Waltham Abbey – Ogo Obi the hattrick hero in Waltham obliteration.

A picture of Jack Daveney celebrating his goal and Hanwell’s last with his teammates.

After the bad weather postponing the majority of the leagues games last week football was back on, on a cold windy day at The Powerday Stadium. Hanwell took Waltham to the sword and were completely merciless, scoring most of the time they went forward whilst playing some great football along the way. The star of the game was Ogo Obi who bagged himself a hattrick in an untouchable performance and Waltham were quite frankly lucky to not have conceded more.

The game didn’t quite live up to what it was supposed to be as it ended up with Hanwell annihilating Waltham in a gutless performance away from home.

Hanwell Town:

Hugo Sobte (7): Unfortunate not to get a clean sheet as he stayed alert all game considering he didn’t have a whole load to do and he made some decent stops when called upon. Couldn’t do much about the goal as it deflected in but he commanded and distributed well, even picking up an assist on the sixth goal.

Callum Woodcock (6): Defended well and put in a shift on the right side. He didn’t get threatened at all and was positionally award throughout but couldn’t really do much to get noticed as they were so dominant.

Joel Jacobs (7): Wand of a left foot and put in some dangerous crosses as well as key passes. He allowed Gianni Crichlow to thrive down the left side by giving him defensive security and even bagged himself an incredible goal from a freekick 25 yards out which was rifled into the top bins.

Toch Singh (6.5): Solid as a rock at the back and gave the opposition attackers a tough time by winning his man to man battles and aerial duels. He was calm at the back and played when needed but also knew when to clear his lines.

Adam Pepera (6.5): Strong presence at the back who commanded well and made some great challenges. Again, won his battles and barely gave Waltham attackers a sniff.

Andy O’Brien (7): Textbook skipper performance who lead extremely well and locked down the midfield. Made some key passes and was calm in controlling the flow of the game. Also did some dirty work when called upon.

Daniel Julienne (7): Done all the silent work and made life hell for the Waltham midfielders as he was everywhere. Was brilliant in transitioning defence to attack and started the onslaught with his quick-thinking through ball which split the defence to Obi for the first goal.

Jack Hutchinson (8): Pure Metronome in midfield and dictated the game perfectly. Great transitional play and always seemed to find space when picking up the ball allowing him to coordinate his next move flawlessly. Also did his fair share of defensive duties when needed as well and it was an all round great performance.

Ogo Obi (10) MOTM: Couldn’t fault a thing with Obi’s performance and he was untouchable. Occupied defenders, made great runs, smart linkup play and physical presence up top. Every time he got the ball something happened and he was super clinical bagging a hattrick and even getting an assist with a smart backheel for Crichlow.

A picture of Ogo Obi tucking away his first goal for Hanwell Town against Waltham Abbey.

Gianni Crichlow (8.5): Darting runs down the line and great footwork allowed him to beat his man many times. He was constantly an attacking threat and linked up well with Obi to create countless opportunities. They simply couldn’t deal with his pace and dribbling and eventually was rewarded with a goal which was neatly tucked away.

Rob Laney (7.5): Worked tirelessly on the other wing and probably didn’t get the credit he deserves because of the other two attackers. Pulled players out which created space for Obi and finally got his goal near the end with a great take down and finesse shot into the corner.

Substitutes:

Harry Rush (6.5): Came on for Daniel Julienne for fresh legs in the midfield. Did what he was supposed to do and supressed Waltham’s midfield well.

David Taylor (6): Came on for Jack Hutchinson in midfield to add some more defensive security as they didn’t need to score any more. Good steady performance from him.

Gareth Chendlik (6): Came on for Ogo Obi to also add more defensive security and hold onto what they had. Solid job and worked hard.

Waltham Abbey:

A picture of Waltham Abbey captain Charlie Edwards getting away from a crunching challenge.

Charlie Crowley (4): Conceded six and most of them were because of his dire defence in front of him. Made a few good saves to keep the score down and distributed well but it’s definitely one he will want to forget.

Junior Appiah (4): Probable the best defender for Waltham who made a lot of good recovery runs and one crucial last ditch challenge but got caught out of position too many times and wasn’t great in possession.

Dominique Njoya (2): Awful game from him as he kept getting caught sleeping and let attackers run beyond him countless times. Looked disinterested and fatigued from the start and wasn’t commanding at all.

Mark Twumasi (2): Him and his partner Njoya were like a pair of clowns at the back. He never picked up a runner and lost most challenges. Also bullied by Obi and really struggled to keep up with the pace of the game.

Louis Bowen (3): Looked slow and sluggish from the start. He didn’t help in attacking phases and was poor in 1v1’s getting beat on many occasions.

Rob Clark (4): Worked tirelessly but couldn’t get a hold on the game and influence the flow. He covered a lot of ground before he got injured and came off at half time.

Nathan Koranteng (3.5): Not an ideal performance from him as he often looked fatigued, uninspired and lacked ideas. Couldn’t keep up with the tempo of the game and struggled finding a rhythm.

Charlie Edwards (3.5): Had an alright game and certainly wasn’t the worst player, he worked hard and was good at tracking back and helping the defence. However, as the captain he should lead by example and he wasn’t quite at the races.

Billy Holland (4): Pretty ineffective and nothing came off for him. Was lucky to stay on as he appeared to punch an opposition player but the referee didn’t see it. Also managed to scred at the death but it was far too late.

A picture of Waltham Abbey goal scorer Billy Holland trying to get around his marker.

Leon McKenzie (3): Pretty much invisible and had no effect on the game whatsoever. He missed an absolute sitter form six yards out which summed up his performance.

Rimmel Daniel (3): Had scraps to feed off and wasn’t really interested in tracking back. He did manage to have one attempt which hit the post but wasn’t very creative and struggled.

Substitutes:

Prince Domafriyie (5.5): Came on for Junior Appiah in an attacking change. He was Waltham’s best player when brought in as he was positive going forward and put some threatening crosses into the box. He made a real impact from the bench with his directness and pace, grabbing himself an assist at the end.

Jack Daveney (3): Came on for injured Rob Clark but left no impact. He was supposed to be a breath of fresh air but didn’t bring any new life to the game and actually might have made it worse as he made a lot of errors and loose touches.

Highlights of game can be found here.

-Dan Davies

Hanwell Town 6-1 Waltham Abbey: Ruthless Hanwell destroy spineless Waltham as Obi bags a hattrick.

It’s all celebrations and smiles for the Hanwell Town boys.

On the 22nd February 2020 Hanwell Town hosted Waltham Abbey in what was meant to be a massive clash in the Bet Victor Isthmian South Central Division. Before the game the two teams sat in the playoff spots with Hanwell in second with a game in hand and Waltham Abbey in 5th. The game didn’t quite showcase this and ended up with Hanwell annihilating Waltham in a gutless performance away from home.

After the bad weather postponing the majority of the leagues games last week football was back on, on a cold windy day at The Powerday Stadium. Hanwell took Waltham to the sword and were completely merciless, scoring most of the time they went forward whilst playing some great football along the way. The star of the game was Ogo Obi who bagged himself a hattrick in an untouchable performance and Waltham were quite frankly lucky to not have conceded more.

The visitors surprisingly started the game off well and knocked the ball around nicely giving Hanwell a few early scares. Hanwell also came back at them with a few early chances and they had a goal from a clever free kick routine ruled out for offside. It was end-to-end exciting stuff for the first 15 minutes and it looked to be a real even affair but Hanwell started to ramp up the tempo, stringing good passes together and deservedly took the lead in the 21st minute through Obi.

Obi slotted home a composed finesses shot against a stranded Charlie Crowley after receiving a perfect through ball from Daniel Julienne which completely caught the Waltham defence sleeping. Really poor defending from Waltham…

The cogs started turning for Hanwell and 2 minutes later Crowley was called into action once more as Obi got in behind the defence way too easily with a ball from Jack Hutchinson but Crowley rose to the occasion and pulled off a good stop which almost weirdly bounced into the goal from the back spin but luckily went wide.

Waltham failed to wake up from this scare and more lacklustre defending continued as Obi added another to the teams and his tally one minute later from a well worked combination between Toch Singh and Hutchinson to set up an unmarked Obi from a cross which was easily tapped in.

A picture of Hattrick hero Ogo Obi scoring his second of the day against Waltham Abbey.

This seemed to kick Waltham into gear as they started to get more of the ball and threaten more and on the half hour mark Hutchinson made an awful late challenge out of frustration on Rob Clark and was lucky to get away with not getting a yellow card.

The pressure from Waltham continued and a minute later a shot by Rimmell Daniel from the edge of the box stung the palms of Hugo Sobte when it then lofted onto the post and rebounded but the quick reaction from Sobte stopped any further danger as he put the loose ball out for a corner.

5 minutes later Waltham’s hard work almost paid off as they could’ve easily pulled one back from a corner when the ball fell to Leon McKenzie who was six yards out but he blasted it over the bar with the goal at his mercy.

The rest of the half saw Hanwell hold onto what they had whilst Waltham struggled to create a real goal-scoring opportunity. The last few minutes of the half contained a lot of niggly fouls and it got heated during the end as the usual non-league ‘handbags’ came out when it appeared Billy Holland had thrown a punch causing everyone to come together pushing, which resulted in him getting a drawn-out yellow card as the referee didn’t see (controversial!).

Hanwell were already playing very well but when the play resumed after halftime they looked like a team possessed and upped the tempo through the roof. Waltham couldn’t get near them and Hanwell were virtually untouchable.

A picture of midfield maestro Jack Hutchinson carrying the ball for Hanwell Town.

The third goal almost came in the 53rd minute when Gianni Crichlow broke free from a through ball from Obi, only to be well tackled by a lightning fast Junior Appiah. 2 minutes later Waltham couldn’t withstand the pressure anymore and a lofted clearance from Town skipper Andy O’Brien was controlled by Obi who then back-heeled it to Crichlow, who made no mistake and tucked in a great finish.

The assault continued just after the hour mark when Waltham gave away a silly freekick in a good shooting position and Hanwell made no mistake as the fourth came when Joel Jacobs rifled in a super free kick from twenty-five yards out.

The next ten minutes were a lot quieter and there was only really a penalty shout for Waltham when substitute Prince Domafriyie appeared to get barged over in the box but the referee waved it away straight away and another ‘handbags’ moment.

In the 72nd minute Obi secured his hattrick when Rob Laney slipped substitute Harry Rush through on the right flank where he dribbled to the bye-line and pulled the ball back for Obi to calmly tap in at the front post. It was poor marking once again from Waltham and Crowley could’ve done much better at his near post.

Substitute Domafriyie was the only player for Waltham who could walk away with any sort of dignity as he made a real impact from the bench with his directness and pace. They only looked like scoring when he came on and in the 81st minute he came close to scoring but Sobte came up big again for Hanwell who then cleared the ball down-field where Rob Laney latched on to it for Town’s sixth.

In added time Waltham scored a deserved consolation after Domafriyie beat his marker down the line and crossed it in finding Holland who’s shot took a deflection but rolled in, spoiling Hanwell’s clean sheet.

A picture of Waltham Abbey goal scorer Billy Holland.

In what was meant to be a tight, hard fought out match looked like a relegation candidate vs top of the table. Waltham only started really playing in the last five minutes and got what they deserved from an on-fire Hanwell Town.

Highlights of game can be found here

Hanwell Town: Hugo Sobte, Callum Woodcock, Joel Jacobs, Toch Singh, Adam Pepera, Andy O’Brien ©, Daniel Julienne (Harry Rush, 62 Mins), Jack Hutchinson (David Taylor, 66 Mins), Ogo Obi (Gareth Chendlik, 74 Mins), Gianni Crichlow, Rob Laney.

Subs not used: Harvey Killeen, Dwayne Duncan.

Waltham Abbey: Charlie Crowley, Junior Appiah (Prince Domafriyie, 57 mins), Dominique Njoya, Mark Twumasi, Louis Bowen, Rob Clark (Jack Daveney, 46 mins), Nathan Koranteg, Charlie Edwards ©, Billy Holland, LeonMcKenzie, Rimmel Daniel.

Subs not used: Ryan Dear, Shiloh Remy, Aron Gordon.

Attendance: 139

Even I managed to get involved in the action by filming the game.

-Dan Davies

Preview: BetVictor Isthmian South Central Division – Hanwell Town Vs Waltham Abbey.

A picture from the last meeting between Hanwell Town and Waltham Abbey.

On the 22nd February 2020 Hanwell Town will host fellow playoff spot team Waltham Abbey in a huge clash in the BetVictor Isthmian South Central Division at The Powerday Stadium. The two teams sit in the playoff spots as Hanwell are in second with a game in hand and Waltham Abbey are in 5th so this should playout to be an absolute cracker. Both teams are dreaming of promotion meaning a tight and tough fought out battle should be on the cards.

The BetVictor Isthmian South Central Division standings before the game.

Last time out:

Hanwell Town – They didn’t have a game last week as bad weather postponed their fixture along with the majority of the other league games. They also had no midweek match so we have to go all the way back to the 8th of February where they came up against 10th placed Barking and narrowly won 1-0 in a tight game away from home, thanks to a penalty from Ogo Obi.

Waltham Abbey – Their game was fortunately on and survived the storm last week as they hosted 14th placed Chalfont St Peter and triumphed 7-3 in an attacking frenzy thriller. They had the game virtually wrapped up by halftime after scoring five goals and being 5-0 up going into the break. They took their foot off the gas in the second half and conceded three but still managed to reply with two more of their own eventually winning 7-3. The craziest thing though was that there were seven different goal scorers for Waltham showing they don’t rely on any specific players and all chip in.

A picture of Waltham Abbey in action against Chalfont in the very damp conditions.

Last meetings:

The two teams have only met once so far this season and that was in the league. Waltham were the home team and it turned out to be quite the event as there were five yellow cards and Waltham’s Jack Daveney was given his marching orders in the 82nd minute. That didn’t affect the outcome of the game though as Hanwell were already 2-0 up from two Gareth Chendlik penalties as they held onto the score line and went on to win 2-0.

This should be a big incentive for Waltham in the return fixture and they’ll want to put in a huge performance as they’ll be thirsty for revenge.

Stats:

Hanwell Town – They have the best goal difference in the league as they’ve scored 64 goals already so far this season whilst only conceding 26 goals giving them a +38GD. Hanwell are unbeaten un their last five games having won four and drawing one whilst scoring eleven and conceding two. Their last win came in their last fixture against Barking as previously mentioned and their top scorer is Gareth Chendlik with sixteen. Lastly, they’ve won eight games, drawn one and lost three at home so far this season.

Waltham Abbey – They have a positive goal difference also and have scored one less goal than Hanwell but have conceded nineteen more giving them a +18GD. Out of their last five games they’ve won two, drawn zero and lost three scoring ten whilst conceding ten. Their last win came in their last fixture against Chalfont as previously mentioned and their top scorer is Leon Mckenzie who also has sixteen. Lastly, they’ve won six games, drawn five and lost three away from home this season.

Key Players:

Hanwell Town – Ogo Obi: New signing Obi is the one to watch for Town as he’s started firing straight away, scoring four goals in five games and has taken no time to settle in. He can create a lot of problems for the back line with his exceptional positioning and acute awareness to be in the right place at the right time. His pace and outstanding hold up play are his best attributes so Waltham will have to be in top form to stop themselves being bullied by this beast.

A picture of Ogo Obi in action against Chalfont earlier in the season.

Waltham Abbey – Leon McKenzie: He’s the one to watch for Waltham with his creativity, spark and liveliness when on the ball and going forward. His ability to score goals are outstanding and he will need to step up and show his ability in this game in order for Waltham to walk away with any sort of points.

Prediction:

This ones a tough one to predict as both teams are coming into this game with confidence and momentum. Waltham will be hungry for revenge and Hanwell will love a chance to do the double on another promotion contender.

I believe Hanwell will take this one as they’re defensive record is exceptional and with the home advantage I find it hard seeing a Waltham win. Although Waltham do score a lot of goals they also concede many as well and I see that as being their downfall as they may manage to grab a goal or two but they’ll really struggle to keep out the rampant Hanwell, especially with the new addition of Obi.

Prediction: Hanwell Town 3-1 Waltham Abbey

-Dan Davies

Extended Highlights: Northwood FC 2-5 Bedfont Sports

Below are the extended highlights of Northwood FC Vs Bedfont Sports in the Bet Victor Isthmian South Central Division. The game took place on the 8th February 2020 at The AcreTweed Stadium, Northwood.

Before the game Northwood sat rock bottom of the table at 20th and Bedfont Sports sat 13th. The game turned out to be an absolute thriller with some unbelievable goals and there was also a red card thrown into the mix. Enjoy!

GAME:

-Dan Davies

Player Ratings: Northwood FC 2-5 Bedfont Sports – Two ‘goal of the season’ contenders in one game.

A picture of Bedfont’s Ezekiel Bademosi slotting the ball home very early on against Northwood.

Under the guidance of former player and newly appointed manager Rob Ursell, Northwood’s rotten form continued after a 5-2 defeat against Bedfont Sports. After conceding three goals within 33 minutes, two strikes either side of the half from Eric Lopes looked to put the Woods back in contention. However, against the run of play, Bedfont scored two late goals to seal the tie.  

The game was jampacked with everything including two ‘goal of the season’ contenders, one scored by Eric Lopes and the other by Nathan Wood. It was a very efficient performance from Bedfont who took their chances when they came and although the score line doesn’t suggest it, Ursell’s debut game in charge of the Woods displayed numerous signs of hope, promise and potential.

Northwood FC:

Chris Rackley (5): Although he conceded five there was only one he maybe could’ve done better on and that was the first goal when he came flying out but he could’ve stood his ground. Made a good save on a freekick from Sanders and overall wasn’t bad.

Charlie Kuehn (3.5): Bit of a passenger and didn’t do anything to really get noticed. Also got beat time and time again against Max Oldham and struggled to contain him. Could’ve done more in attacking phases and probably a game to forget.

Ryan Phillips (4.5): Pretty average game, nothing dazzling and was quite calm at the back. He made some decent tackles and won his aerials thanks to his height but could’ve passed more than lump up the pitch. His pace also let him down on a few occasions but he was the better of the two centre backs.

Bayley Brown (4): Big presence in the middle of the park who tried tirelessly to create and make things happen but to no avail. Was the reason they conceded two of the goals with a loose pass for the first and holding onto the ball for way too long at the end getting dispossessed. His work rate and effort can’t be faulted though and he gets through so much of the silent work but it wasn’t his day.

Craig Carby (5): One of the better players for Northwood and he looked calm and composed on the ball. He offered an outlet for the centre backs, made a few crucial challenges and was comfortable playing down his side trying to create something with crosses into the box. Sometimes caught static though allowing Bedfont to break through easily.

Dominic Rhone (4): Looked slow and sluggish at the back to start off with and for the first goal conceded he could’ve dealt with it but the bobble took it away from him allowing Ezekiel Bademosi to get on the ball and score. Was caught napping a bit as well, allowing players to get beyond him but he did progressively get better throughout the game but the damage was already done.

Marcelo Graca (5): Had an alright game and certainly wasn’t the worst player, he worked hard and was good at tracking back and helping the defence. However, he should improve his decision-making as he was quite wasteful in the final third but did try to make things happen.

Charlie Hayford (4): Not an ideal performance from the captain as he often looked fatigued, uninspired and lacked ideas. Was also at fault for the first goal because he took too many touches in the wrong area and eventually got muscled off the ball leading to the opener.

Romario Hart (4.5): Didn’t have much to work with and did what he could. He ran relentlessly and his hard work paid off by winning a penalty for his team which was scored by Eric Lopes.

Lucas Toti (4.5): Was kept very quiet and he found it hard to find a rhythm to his game. He pressured the back line and helped out in tracking back but wasn’t very effective in his role as an attacker.

Eric Lopes (7.5): He was the shining star in the loss for the Woods. He was direct and ran at players (although sometimes he could’ve passed and got dispossessed) and he brought hope of bringing home a result. He scored two goals: one was a penalty and the other was an unbelievable solo goal which crashed into the top left corner. Superb game attacking wise for Eric but could’ve helped out more in defence and maybe sometimes be less greedy.

A picture of Eric Lopes slamming the ball top corner against a stand still Bedfont.

Substitutes:

Festus Lori (5): Came on for Hayford to add to the attack but didn’t quite adapt to the flow of the game. He worked hard and added to the dominance but when the fourth goal went in he became ineffective and fizzled out quickly.

Bedfont Sports:

Dimitrios Kyriatzis (5): Didn’t have an awful lot to do but he gave away a shocking penalty which could’ve been a red card in some referees eyes and was lucky to stay on and the other goal he conceded was virtually impossible to save. Other than that, he distributed fine and commanded well without much else troubling him.

Ed Cook (6): Looked solid defensively and was very positionally aware. Made some fine challenges and was strong in aerial duels. Didn’t offer a whole lot going forward but didn’t really need to and he gave away a silly yellow but was probably down to frustration.

Mekhail McLaughlin (5): Average performance and nothing extraordinary but he commanded well from the back and did the basics right. He won his man to man battles and overall did his job correctly.

Michael Kinsella (5): Was comfortable going forward and assisting Max Oldham giving him freedom to attack but he should’ve done better on the goal conceded as he got beat too easy letting Lopes come inside to get a shot off.

Joe Jackson (6.5): Did the fundamentals well and worked hard in the centre of the park. He won second balls and intercepted well to turn defence into attack. He also started the attack for the second goal and all round had a good performance.

Ezekiel Bademosi (6): Threat all day up top with his pace and pressure on the backline. He made no mistake with his finish as he tucked home a composed shot in the third minute and helped out with his defensive responsibilities when needed to throughout.

Ricky Wellard (5.5): Put in a shift going up and down being a thorn in the oppositions side. He did most of the silent but effective work and contributed in any way he could.

Veron Kokurinkov (5): Wasn’t really noticeable and didn’t do anything spectacular but he pulled players wide and created space for his teammates to work into which became effective.

Andy Ali (5.5): Pain for the opposition up top as he threw his weight about and tried to be a nuisance in any way he could. He frustrated the opponent and got involved in a few nice pieces of linkup play but let himself down for getting drawn into a pushing contest with Ryan Phillips eventually picking up a yellow for his involvement.

Darryl Sanders (7): Played great behind the striker and got into all kinds of pockets of space, driving at players and making key passes. He had some good efforts and managed to bag a goal in the 33rd minute through a late run into the box where no one picked him up and he fired home from six yards out.

Maxwell Oldham (8) MOTM: Absolutely everywhere and caused all sorts of problems for Northwood. He got a goal and an assist but took on players so well and was involved in the bulk of Bedfont’s attacks. He also helped out defensively a lot and was always an option but he ended up letting himself down by picking up a second yellow and getting sent off (probably would’ve got a 9 otherwise).

A picture of Bedfont’s Ed Cook Standing up Northwood’s Festus Lori.

Substitutes:

Brandon Kalu (5.5): Came on for Mekhail McLaughlin to sure things up at the back which is what he did and they didn’t look like conceding during the minutes he was on.

Nathan Wood (7): Came on for Andy Ali to seal the deal and that’s exactly what happened. Against the run of play he also scored a contender for ‘goal of the season’ as he drove in from the left and smashed it from 25 yards out into the top corner.

Brian Testolin (6.5): Came on for Veron Kokurinkov and scored against his former club to put the final nail in the coffin for Northwood.

Highlights of the game can be found here.

-Dan Davies

Northwood FC 2-5 Bedfont Sports: The Woods’ dire form continues but there were promising signs for Rob Ursell.

A picture of Northwood’s Bayley Brown and Bedfont’s Andy Ali battling for the ball.

On the 8th February 2020 Northwood FC encountered Bedfont Sports in a tough asking task in the BetVictor Isthmian South Central division.  Before the game Northwood sat rock bottom of the table at 20th and Bedfont Sports sat 13th but during the week Northwood appointed new manager Rob Ursell who brought in several new players to turn this seasons disappointment around.

On a cold but sunny day at The Acretweed Stadium, it was a very efficient performance from Bedfont who took their chances when they came. Although the score line doesn’t suggest it, Ursell’s debut game in charge of the Woods displayed numerous signs of hope, promise and potential.  

Bedfont played well but weren’t as dominant as the score suggests and maybe on another day they wouldn’t have scored five but you can’t take away how clinical they were in front of goal on the day. There were seven debutants for Northwood, and the unfamiliarity was evident as the Woods rotten form continued nevertheless under former player and new manager Ursell.

It was a nightmare start for the Woods because in just the 3rd minute Captain Charlie Hayford’s awful touch in the middle of the park set up the first attack for Bedfont as he got dispossessed by Darryl Sanders on the turn. The Woods defence was then caught out by the quick turnover in possession and Sanders slid the ball behind the defence which could’ve been dealt with by Dominic Rhone but the bobble takes it away from him allowing Ezekiel Bademosi to get on the ball and slot it in the net in a cool and composed manor.

The onslaught continued in the ninth minute when Bayley Brown made a horrendous loose pass into midfield which was gobbled up by Joe Jackson and played forward into a good team move from Bedfont which was clinically finished off by winger Max Oldham, whose strike hit the woodwork and went in.

A picture of Andy Ali in the build-up for Bedfont’s second goal.

Although they had a shaky start and were under the cosh very early on Northwood stuck to their plan and continued to play the way they wanted. They played neatly from out the back and retained possession confidently which eventually paid its reward, when Romario Hart was foolishly taken out in the box by Bedfont’s keeper Dimitrios Kyriatzis who was stuck in No man’s land

This resulted in a penalty being awarded which Eric Lopes buried confidently and unfazed in the 19th minute after having to wait a while whilst Hart was getting treatment.

Northwood started to look more inspired and kept the pressure up, enjoying possession whilst playing some expansive football. However, in the 33rd minute against the run of play Max Oldham produced a bit of magic and flew past two players  down the wing and drove a low cross straight into an unmarked Darryl Sanders, who made no mistake and rocketed the ball into the roof of the net from eight yards out leaving Chris Rackley with no chance.

Just before halftime Chris Rackley was called into action from a freekick about 30 yards out which was struck well by Sanders. It kept very low and forced a great save from Rackley who guided it around the post.

Northwood came back out with intent and five minutes after the whistle the Woods brought it back to a one goal deficit. Eric Lopes scored his second and a contender for goal of the season as he took down a ball from over the top and cut in from the right flank using great footwork to get beyond two men and onto the edge of the box. He then bent the ball inch perfect over the keeper and into the top left corner.

A picture of Northwood’s Eric Lopes watching on as his effort dips over Bedfont keeper Dimitris Kyriatzis.

The Woods appeared to gain more confidence from Lopes’ goal, and it was Bayley Brown who was working hard in midfield trying to create chances for his team-mates but to no avail. That was the tale of the game for Northwood, dominating the play but not being able to find the killer ball.

Bedfont picked up two yellows through petty fouls from Ed Cook and Max Oldham during their period of inferiority and frustrations boiled over in the 57th minute when Ryan Phillips and Andy Ali had a coming together who both received a yellow for their parts to play.

Although Northwood controlled the half Bedfont’s hard work and resilience was rewarded as they punished the home side for not capitalising on their dominance. They scored again against the run of play in the 81st minute and this time it was substitute Nathan Wood who also scored a contender for goal of the season as he drove in from the left and smashed it from 25 yards out into the top corner.

In the last five minutes Bedfont went down to ten men as Max Oldham gave away a very silly shirt tug on Bayley Brown. He was already on a yellow so this was a very stupid decision and he let himself down as he actually had a really good game but left the referee with no choice.

The red card had no real effect on the final minutes of the game, and it was the visitors who scored again before the final whistle, Brian Testolin coming off the bench to score against his former club.

Overall, it was a very important three points picked up for Bedfont away from home and they punished Northwood for not capitalising on their dominance. On paper it looked like a bad result for Northwood but there’s a lot of promising signs for the new manager and they can take the positives into the remainder of the season.

A picture of Bedfont’s Ed Cook shielding off the ball.

Highlights of game can be found here.

Northwood FC: Chris Rackley, Charlie Kuehn, Ryan Phillips, Bayley Brown, Craig Carby, Dominic Rhone, Marcelo Graca, Charlie Hayford © (Festus Lori, 75 mins), Romario Hart, Lucas Toti, Eric Lopes.

Subs not used: Jaden Sharman, Aeez Alabi, Charlie Malin, Samuel Adetiba.

Bedfont Sports: Dimitrios Kyriatzis, Ed Cook  , Mekhail McLaughlin (Brandon Kalu, 63 mins), Michael Kinsella, Joe Jackson ©, Ezekiel Bademosi, Ricky Wellard, Veron Kokurinkov (Brian Testolin, 77 mins), Andy Ali  (Nathan Wood, 64 mins), Darryl Sanders, Maxwell Oldham. 

Subs not used: Jayden Clarke, Paul Johnson.

Attendance: 142

Quick shout out to the young Bedont fans who were superb all game.

-Dan Davies

Preview: BetVictor Isthmian South Central Division – Northwood FC Vs Bedfont Sports.

A picture from the away fixture when Bedfont Sports were the hosts.

On the 8th February 2020 relegation threatened Northwood will face Bedfont Sports in a tough asking task in the BetVictor Isthmian South Central division at The AcreTweed Stadium. Northwood sit rock bottom of the table at 20th and Bedfont Sports sit 13th so both teams have something to play for as Bedfont can push up to the playoff spots if they can string a few results together and the Woods can jump out the relegation zone if they win and other results go their way.

The BetVictor Isthmian South Central Division standings before the game.

Last time out:

Bedfont Sports –  It was a positive result for the eagles who beat 4th place Tooting & Mitcham Utd at home during mid-week. It was a massive result for Bedfont as Max Oldham and Andy Ali sealed the deal both scoring one in a 2-0 triumph which will give them massive confidence and momentum going into this fixture.

Northwood – They had no game during the week but they played 6th place Chertsey Town last weekend and got rolled over 4-1 on their own turf. This poor result was the last straw for the Woods and during the week they appointed former player and new manager Robert Ursell with immediate effect who brought in several new players to hopefully turn this seasons disappointment around.

Northwood’s tweet about the appointment of Rob Ursell during the week.

Last meetings:

The two teams have met three times so far this season with Northwood winning one and Bedfont winning 2. The first game was in the Velocity Trophy where the Woods triumphed 3-2 with a 90th minute winner through a Bedfont own goal from Veron Kokurinov allowing them to progress to the next round.

The second meeting was three months later in the league where the Eagles demolished Northwood 4-1 at home as Bademosi bagged two on the day.

Lastly, 2 months after the second meeting Bedfont won 1-0 in a narrow victory at home as former Woods player Brion Testolin scored in the 21st minute in the Middlesex County Cup Quarter Final to send them through to the Semis.

Stats:

Northwood – The Woods have the worst goal difference in the league as they’ve conceded 71 goals already so far this season whilst only being able to score 27 giving them a -44GD. They’ve lost nine games in a row, conceding 22 goals and only replying with a mere 5. Their last win came on the 30th November 2019 against Harlow Town in a 2-1 win and their top scorer is Alex Witham with six. Lastly, they’ve only managed to win 2 games at home all season whilst drawing one and losing nine.

Bedfont Sports – The Eagles also have a negative goal difference but its only -4. They’ve scored 35 goals which is more than Northwood and have conceded nearly half as many goals with 39. They’ve won two and lost three out of their last five whilst conceding six and scoring six. Their last win came during the week as previously mentioned and their top scorer is Ezekiel Bademosi with ten. Lastly, they’ve only managed to win 2 games at home all season whilst drawing one and losing nine.

Another picture from the last time these two met in the league.

Key Players:

Northwood – Eric Lopes: He’s the one to watch for the Woods with his skilful footwork and lightning pace. His ability to create moments of magic out of nothing is crucial for this team in order to get the goals to keep them up. His directness gives nightmares for defenders all game but sometimes he can be seen to be a little greedy in situations.

Bedfont Sports  –  Ezekiel Bademosi: He’s the one to watch for the Eagles with his exceptional finishing and physical presence up top. His darting runs cause issues for defenders all game as he effortlessly gets in behind the back line and his hold up play is great at bringing in other players to link up with and grab goals.

Prediction:

The introduction of the new manager for the Woods may inject some new life and motivate this morale and confidence ridden team. Hopefully some inspiration enters the dressing room as they look to grab any possible point as they’re now all vital. Bedfont on the other hand have just come off the end of a great win against 4th in the league so this will give them confidence heading into this game and they’ll be hopeful of making the playoffs.

Bedfont Sports goalkeeper Dimitirs Kyriatzis’ tweet after the big win against Tooting & Mitcham.

I can’t see Northwood getting out of this pit right away as it will take time to formulate a plan and start playing the way Ursell wants to. Their dire defensive record will most likely let them down plus they also don’t score many goals and Bedfont don’t concede many. They will most likely struggle to score so I believe Bedfont will come out on top in this match.

Prediction: Northwood 0-2 Bedfont Sports

-Dan Davies

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