In a game played at 100 mph it would be fair to say that neither team really settled throughout the 90 mins. However is was a game that both teams again were looking to win, neither team seemed willing to settle for a draw. It wasn't until about 20 minutes when Nick McGraw converted a Chay Pickford corner with a superb header that Northwood looked like scoring. A couple of times Kidsgrove got behind the Northwood defence but failed to take there chances as they appeared to have wanted to walk the ball in and Northwood managed to re group at the back and cancel the attacks out.
Northwood would probably have been the happier of the two teams to go in at half time as Kidsgrove had probably deserved more from the game and were unlucky to go in 1-0 down. Still Northwood were happy to go in leading but knew that hadn't played well enough to deserve it.
In the second half Northwood tried to settle things down but the game was pinball. Niether team settle and it was thanks to a few 1st class saves from Mark Heath that kept Northwoods clean sheet in tact, still Northwood dug in and around the 60th minutes Mick Nixon latched onto a long ball and rounded the keeper to slot home from a tight angle.
Still kidsgrove continued to come at Northwood but never really made any chances to warrant there effort and hard work, another swift counter attack saw Mick Nixon finish off superbly across the keeper from the lhs bending it across the keeper and into the bottom corner.
All in all not the greatest game and 3-0 probably flattered Northwood but the effort, desire and clinical finishing led to them picking up the win. Credit must go to Kidsgrove for there never say die attitude and work rate who were unlucky not to at least score and found Mark Heath at the pinnacle of his game. Man of the match was hard to decide as only two players really stood out, Mick Nixon with his clinical finishing and Mark Heath with his excellent saves. However Mark Heath will just take it as Northwood were already 1-0 and the saves were game winning saves sorry Mick.
Man Of The Match - Mark Heath
Team
Heath (M), Wild (L), Tams, Sherwin, Cockfield, Davies, Powner, Pickford, Heath (P), Nixon, McGraw
Subs - Snape, Wild (M) Fox
Subs not used - Ottley, Reynolds