Once again away from the SKYex United were found wanting at the back as Northwood’s speed of attack caught Paul Hughes’ side out on several occasions with the Woods defence doing a fine job keeping United at bay at the other end.

The home side started well with Jack Smith saving comfortably from Wilson Chingoka and Harly Wise getting a block in to deflect a Meshach Williams shot wide after good approach work by former United man Evans Kouassi.

United were undone on 18 minutes when a low driven corner flew across the six yard box, Josh Chamberlain cleared the initial effort off the line and when the follow up shot was also hacked off the line but straight up in the air, Woods central defender Tommy Boxer rose highest to head home from close range.

With United still failing to mount a meaningful attack that threatened the home goal, Kouassi broke away at pace from the halfway line before firing inches wide of the target. He was not to be denied two minutes later though as Tayshan Hayden-Smith broke down the right side, he fed the ball to Evans in the box and his miscued effort wrong footed Smith before nestling in the net to double the Woods advantage.

Just before the half hour mark Woods ‘keeper Harry Voss was finally called into action, Spyros Mentis fed the ball to Rohdell Gordon, the wide man cutting inside and firing goalwards but the power was reduced by a key partial interception by Boxer.

Kouassi again went close, flashing a drive across the face of goal from a tight angle having collected a ball down the right flank from Pat Kelly and then as the half closed United had a trio of chances but still could not beat Voss.

Chamberlain and Mentis both saw drives blocked by Woods defenders, determined to keep their goal intact, Gordon and United substitute Manny Duku then combined on the right to create an opening for Rowan Vine who saw his volley tipped over by Voss.

The final chance of the half fell to Gurkan Gokmen who collected a long Chamberlain throw-in but could not keep his shot down, just clearing Voss’s crossbar.

The home side started quickly again after the break, Kouassi fed Arash Abdullahi who was just wide from the edge of the box and this was quickly followed by a chance at the other end with Duku having a shot blocked back to Vine, his effort just failing to hit the target.

United’s best effort of the match came on 57 minutes, Chamberlain hitting a pile driver from 25 yards that Voss did extremely well to keep out, the loose ball falling to Duku who was forced wide with his shot at goal striking Boxer at the post before going wide with the United fans behind the goal vehemently claiming hand-ball but to no avail.

Williams again went close from distance for the home side before another chance fell to United with 10 minutes left. Danny Blanchett crossed from the left side, Mentis rose highest at the far post and headed down to Vine who got a touch only for the ball to nestle in the arms of Voss.

Minutes later the final real opening of the game fell to the home side as Kouassi pounced on a defensive error to send Williams away, the strikers scuffed shot forcing Smith to push his effort wide and that was it as far as chances went.

Report by Kevin Watts.

Photos by Ray Peploe.

United Man of the Match: Spyros Mentis.