Woodford Town began proceedings at Ashton's strongly on Friday night, however, they lacked an opening goal despite creating plenty of opportunities in the first 25 minutes. Sam Owusu, back in the starting XI for the first time in April, came inches away from opening the scoring with a low effort, before Pedro Carvalho's excellent ball across the face of goal had no recipient on the end of it.

Our number 17 had the beating of his man again as he teed up Josh Banfield, who saw an effort blocked, before we then opened the scoring two minutes later. Luke Steele slipped Micah Jackson in down the right side of the penalty area, he cut back before guiding the ball into the bottom corner to put The Woods 1-0 up!

After breaking the deadlock, we continued to apply the pressure on Hullbridge, with Jackson coming agonisingly close to hitting a brace with a curling free kick. The resultant corner was swung in by Banfield and met by Kahil Kirwan-Meade, who flicked it over the top of Dom Alexandrou in the visitors' net to Miles Mitchell-Nelson to head home to double our lead and net his 12th goal of the season in the process!

Woodford began the second half as they ended the first, and Carvalho, who had looked dangerous throughout, added his name to the scoresheet with his first goal for the Club. Mitchell-Nelson headed on a long throw, which the arriving Carvalho then nodded in to make it three after 49 minutes.

Jackson was amongst the action again as we hit a fourth with 20 minutes to go, setting up David Gokou to fire into the back of the net and round off the scoring, securing a vital three points for The Woods which confirms they will have home advantage in the play-off semi final at the end of the month!

The hosts - who had to finish the game with a man less after Dion Johnston pulled up with an injury - had more opportunities to further extend the lead through Ernest Okoh, with the substitute firing one curling effort just over the bar and having another crash off the crossbar after being spectacularly saved by the fingertips of Alexandrou.

Starting XI: E. Agboola (GK); Steele, Kirwan-Meade, Mitchell-Nelson (Omope - 77'), Harbrow (Martins - 71'); Kebi, Banfield, Owusu (C); Gokou (Okoh - 71'), Jackson (Protic - 77'), Carvalho (Johnston - 55').

Unsused substitutes: N/A