After two defeats and a draw in the first three games FC went to Northwood, always a tough place to go, trying to get the season started. David Carty kept his place in Midfield but Jonny Montgomery returned on the bench having recovered from a neck injury.

After a slow start, Northwoodn had an effort easily saved and then a long-range effort from Kieran Turner, spotting Woods keeper Thomas Spenser off his line, dropped just wide of the target.

On 17 minutes a Woods free-kick was narrowly tipped over the bar by Ashley Jenkins. Woods then had another opportunity on 26 minutes when Stephenson had his first chance when he was picked out by a cross but he volleyed the ball well wide . FC then had an opportunity when a long ball put the speedy Lee Stobbs in the clear. the keeper started to come but then back-peddled and saved well when the shot came his way.

The Woods began to threaten more towards the end of the first half. Callum Wright knocked in a good free-kick that picked out James Budden but his header drifted wide and then Georges Ehui picked out Stephenson but the striker saw his shot blocked and it trickled through to goalkeeper Ashley Jenkins. Alex Nolan’s cross was met by Heneghan and his touch gave Stephenson a sight of goal but his shot was straight at Jenkins who saved comfortably. Then two free-kicks in quick succession were unable to create a goal. Louis Stead curled his over the top and then Heneghan picked out Budden again but this time his header was too direct and Jenkins collected.

The Woods still seemed most likely to claim the points when the second half started and Wright had a shot blocked after a good cross from Julian Smith before Stephenson ballooned a shot miles over the bar. After 54 minutes Wright did well to dance through a couple of defenders but then chipped a shot over the top too.

The Northwood Keeper Spenser had to be alert to claim a ball hooked back in by Stobbs on 71 minutes while the Woods continued to misfire in front of goal. Nolan and Stead combined to set up Ehui and when his shot was blocked, Stephenson again fired over the bar. FC were beginning to threaten more and a quick break after James Burgess lost possession saw substitute Jonny Montgomery slip Stobbs through but his low strike was well saved by Spenser.

The Woods keeper was in action again on 83 minutes when Martin Griggs got on the end of a cross with a close-range header but he kept it out. Five minutes later, the Woods were not so fortunate as a ball in wasn’t cleared and substitute Elijah Badu seized on it to blast into the roof of the net from close-range.

Northwood’s one chance of an equaliser three minutes into stoppage-time proved disastrous. A free-kick was awarded not far outside the box but Heneghan fired it straight at the wall and the rebound caught out the Woods defence, who had pretty much all pushed up. Spenser raced out to challenge for the loose ball but it rebounded kindly to Montgomery who calmly steered an accurate shot from almost the halfway line into the unguarded net to double the score.

Three points and the season is underway.