Northwood manager Dean Barker was keen to reflect on a fine team performance after securing a well-earned 1-0 victory over Chelsea Under-23s on Saturday.

James Ewington’s guided header after 11 minutes proved the difference and ensured the inaugural Pete Barry Memorial Trophy will take pride of place at Northwood Park after their first ever victory against Chelsea.

In the searing Middlesex sunshine facing a side who possessed good technical quality and a greater share of the ball offered a good test of their fitness in a way that, according to Barker, they are unlikely to face during the regular league season.

“Fitness wise it’s superb for them because obviously they’re not going to come up against that calibre of player in Step 4, without being disrespectful,” Barker said.

“Chelsea obviously kept the ball very well and I know they have just come back from an eight-day training camp. I hope the youngsters would have learnt a lot.”

Northwood faced a Chelsea side featuring several age group internationals including England midfielder George McEachran and Scottish prodigy Billy Gilmour who, at the age of just 16, featured for Scotland’s Under-21s at the Toulon tournament earlier this year.

According to their manager though, the Woods were full value for their victory, producing a resolute defensive performance that Barker was unsurprisingly quick to praise.

“Obviously to play a team with so many quality players in it – international players – was always going to be a tough ask especially with it being our second pre-season game, but I thought the boys were excellent. We kept Chelsea down to two or three attempts on goal and I think we deserved the win overall.”

The 34-year-old emphasised the performance of one-time Tottenham youth goalkeeper Luke Sheldrick and his new look defence, while up top a new Woods marksman gave a glimpse of his prolific streak with a second strike of pre-season.

“I’m hoping we don’t use up all our clean sheets in pre-season,” Barker joked. “It’s been really good so far. Luke [Sheldrick] played really well today and I thought Carl Pearce and Tom Massey were superb at centre half.

“James [Ewington] took the goal really well. He scored 50-odd goals last year so he knows where the back of the net is but generally it’s been good, training’s been good and we’ve got plenty of pre-season games to get ourselves ready for the first game now.”

Kings Langley slipped to a 3-1 defeat to Hemel Hempstead Town as they stepped up their preparations for the new Southern League Premier South season.

Steve Conroy’s side were undone by three goals at the end of the first half courtesy of an own goal and strikes from Charlie Sheringham and ex-Watford midfielder Jordan Parkes.

Kings responded in the second period and sported an entirely new XI, later scoring a consolation goal.

The Gaywood Park club also learnt the identity of their opening-day opponents after the release of the Southern League fixtures yesterday, with Kings traveling to Gosport Borough on August 11.

Bovingdon continued their build-up to their maiden season in Spartan South Midlands Division Two, with a meeting with Rayners Lane on Wednesday following on from last weekend’s game with Broadfields United.

The Green Army were twice ahead against Rayners Lane but had to settle for a draw as the match ended level at 2-2.

Northwood have since made it three pre-season wins without conceding after comfortably seeing off Sun Sports 4-0 at Bellmount Wood Avenue on Tuesday night.

Goals from Emmanuel Melford-Rowe, a brace from player-coach Ben Andreos and one from Stan Anum helped the Woods maintain their 100 per cent record.

Berkhamsted kicked off their pre-season programme with an impressive 5-1 victory against a Hemel Hempstead Town XI on Saturday.

Steve Bateman’s side, who are preparing to play at Step 4, took a first-half lead through Steve Hawes.

Hemel equalised on the stroke of half-time but second-half goals from debutants Andrew Ofusu, Dara Dada, George Mitchell-Gears and Marcus Campbell completed a comprehensive victory.

Then in midweek, Berko secured another creditable result against higher opposition after playing out a 2-2 draw with Chesham United.

Both sides had shares of the lead but it was Berko who struck first through Campbell after just five minutes, before Chesham levelled on the hour-mark when ex-Watford scholar Matt Bevans drilled a half-volley in.

United then grabbed the lead with 15 minutes to play courtesy of Dave Pearce, only for Campbell to grab his second late on.

Tring Athletic kicked off their pre-season preparations with a comfortable 2-0 victory over Herts Senior County League side Sarratt on Wednesday.

Goals from Jack Read and former Watford trainee Alex Campana, a recent signing from Berkhamsted, gave the Spartan South Midlanders the win ahead of the visit of Aylesbury United tomorrow.

Leverstock Green beat Ampthill Town 4-0 at Pancake Lane last Saturday.

Goals from Luke Preedy, Jonathan Lacey, Chris Blunden and Nick Jackson secured an impressive win.

That form continued into Tuesday’s Aylesbury game, with Levy coming from behind to beat their Southern League opponents 2-1.

Second-half goals from Preedy and a 25-yard bullet from Jordan Goode cancelled out Aaron King’s opener for the Moles and ensured that Green made it three pre-season wins from three.