Harefield Gazette

Former Fulham striker ‘will fight for his place’

Ehui told by Burgess he will not walk straight into team

- By Tim Street tim.street@trinitymir­ror.com

FORMER Fulham striker Ismael Ehui has been told he will not walk back into the Northwood FC side and will have to earn his place.

The Frenchman, who scored 11 goals in 25 games in his first spell for the Woods two years ago, returned to Chestnut Avenue earlier this month after a year away with Hayes & Yeading, although he has had to make do with cameos off the bench due to the form of Ryan Debattista and Myles Stephenson in recent weeks.

Manager Mark Burgess said: “Ismael’s been on the bench because the players in front of him have been playing well. He will have to wait for his chance, but he is at least pushing our other forwards and providing competitio­n for places.”

For all that, it was midfielder Louis Stead who grabbed both goals in Saturday’s 2-1 triumph at Petersfiel­d, with a penalty and a free kick earning a first Southern One Central win in three.

Burgess said: “Louis is somebody the other players look up to. He has great ability and took the game into his own hands. He’s one of those players you always look to to step up. When he does well, we do well, but he just needs to find that consistenc­y.”

Burgess’s new-look Northwood are finally starting to gel after losing no less than seven players to higher level clubs over the summer – with Steve Brown, Max Holland, George Nicholls and Andy Lomas all going to Harrow Borough, Nico Muir and Barkley Laurencin leaving for Hendon and Rob Hastings going to Wingate & Finchley.

He added: “I don’t mind players stepping up a level, it’s when they move sideways for an extra 20 quid that you get annoyed. We’re starting to gel, they just need more games together. We’re scoring goals but have got work to do defensivel­y.”

Northwood were due to host Histon last night (Tuesday), while in the same division Uxbridge lost 2-0 at home to Royston Town and were due to visit Farnboroug­h last night.

AFC Hayes has no weekend game but visit Bedfont Sports in the Combined Counties Premier tonight, while Harefield United and Hillingdon Borough both crashed out of the FA Vase, 4-0 to Leverstock Green and 2-1 to Wembley respective­ly.

 ??  ?? n PATIENTLY WAITING: Ismael Ehui
n PATIENTLY WAITING: Ismael Ehui

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