NORTHWOOD 1 CHESHUNT 1

Ryman League Division 1 North
Tuesday 14th October 2008

Harry England reports...........

An early Bradley Harrison goal wasn't enough to seal The Ambers all three points in a difficult away encounter. Heavy rain before the match left us with a wet, quick pitch.

The first real action of the game was Harrison's goal, as the midfielder hit a thirty-yarder, and saw it loop beautifully into the top-corner. Things were looking positive, as five minutes later Sean Sonner of Northwood was booked for dissent. Ricky Dobson was then booked for a shirt pull, before Northwood's first chance occurred on twelve minutes. A Danny Murphy free-kick was hit low and hard, but Chris Goodchild did enough to keep it out.

Four minutes later came another promising attack from the home side, as some great link-up play between Abdul Yoki and Otis Williams led to Williams' shot going across the face of goal and hitting the post.

Kai Ramshaw made a great run surging forward  but was fouled at the end of it, although to the surprise of many the offender was not booked and the free kick came to nothing. Ricky Dobson then tried his hand at attacking as the ball fell to him from a corner. At a tight angle about twenty-yards out, he hit a half-volley only to see it rise way over.

The equaliser came on thirty-four minutes as Sean Sonner jumped the highest to meet the cross after Gary Schillaci skewed clearnce, heading into the top-corner.

Yohance Lewis, Ashley Taylor-Forbes and Tobi Oshitola meanwhile were linking play well  together, and on one occasion Oshitola showed real pace to latch onto a ball to gain a corner.

Northwood fans thought they'd scored just before half-time but were shocked to see it disallowed, as Richard Orlu was smothering Glen Parry to get to the ball at the back post. The last chance of the half fell to Williams, but Mangodza did enough to put him off the shot.

The second half was, in comparison, pretty dull although a dangerous Yoki cross had to be cleared by Schillachi, who slid in to put it out. Williams clashed with Goodchild in a challenge, but the goalkeeper got up and continued to stop the goals. Northwood sub Rodney Hicks had a good effort turned away by Goodchild on the hour mark, before Michael Gordon took on Glen Parry, only for his shot to be saved. It was looking shaky at the back for Cheshunt, but several long-range efforts from Northwood failed to test the goalkeeper.

The last real incident of the game was Williams ploughing into Glen Parry about half an hour after the ball had gone! Incredibly no booking was shown, and Cheshunt held out for a one-all draw.

Northwood: Swain, Power, Murphy (c), Orlu, Burgess, Christian, D. Williams (Hicks 37'), Sonner (Brown 61'), Yoki (Taj 88'), O. Williams
Unused: Verseci, Gibo
 
Cheshunt: Goodchild, Schillachi, Parry (c), Mangodza, Dobson, Harrison (Prestedge 58'), Taylor-Forbes, Ramshaw, Oshitola (Jackman 58'), Lewis, Francis (Bradford 67')
Unused: Thorogood, Ricketts

Attendance: 136