Northwood 0 Enfield 2
Saturday 4th October 2025
| NORTHWOOD | |||
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| 1 | Hafed Al-Droubi | ||
| 2 | Nasir Sharifi (56m)  |
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| 3 | Mack Miskin | ||
| 4 | Manny Folarin © |
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| 5 | Bryan Mankumbani | ||
| 6 | Jack Smith (77m) | ||
| 7 | Reece Price-Placid | ||
| 8 | Carl Stewart | ||
| 9 | Dylan Kearney(71m) |
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| 10 | Ademide Baruwa | ||
| 11 | Dan Williams (92m) | ||
| Substitutes | |||
| 12 | Henry Atkinson (56m) | ||
| 14 | Freddie Ford (92m) | ||
| 15 | Hicham Bouchareb (71m) | ||
| 16 | Harry McKenna | ||
| 17 | Devonte Totesaut (77m) | ||
Three successive home defeats in just an eight-day period will set alarm bells ringing at the Woods as they dropped to third from bottom in the table with a shaky start to the month of October.
A very blustery wind and a carpet of freshly fallen leaves greeted visitors Enfield to the Skyline Roofing Stadium and the visitors needed some valuable points themselves after some recent losses had left them just one place off the foot of the table.
It was likely to be a real battle and the Woods made just one change to 
their starting line-up with Nasir Sharifi coming in for youngster Henry Atkinson who had played for the Under-18s in their FA Youth Cup win at Kings Langley on the Thursday night. Hicham Bouchareb took a place on the subs bench after injury, replacing Jordan Ellis.
Northwood started with the wind behind them but both sides took time to settle and adapt to conditions. It was Enfield who notched the first effort on goal after nine minutes as Hafed Al-Droubi palmed away a low shot from Jack Taylor.
Joni Vukaj tried his luck from long-range but it flew over but the E’s should have been ahead on 19 minutes. George Sykes did well to get a cross in from inside the box on the right and it fell to an unmarked James Bone who had almost the whole goal in front of him but somehow miskicked it straight to a grateful Al-Droubi.
It was on 27 minutes that the Woods were presented with their opportunity to take the lead when a tackle from Brad McCLenaghan around the halfway line set Dan Williams away down the left. He did well, racing into the box, cutting it back and shooting for goal but the ball deflected off a defender across the face of the six-yard box but just behind an unmarked Dylan Kearney who would have had a tap-in.
Sykes headed a Jack Taylor cross wide for the visitors when in acres of space after 33 minutes as Enfield continued to edge a half that was full of tackles, free-kicks and stoppages with the Woods limited to one set-piece as Manny Folarin headed on a Jack Smith corner but Kearney picked up the first yellow card of the game for a foul when challenging goalkeeper George Edgeworth.
It seemed like a half where Northwood had failed to take advantage of the wind being behind them and the visitors started the second-half better too with McClenaghan missing out with a free header which he directed straight at Al-Droubi.
Williams had a shot blocked soon after but then it was back at the other end with Al-Droubi making a fine save after Braithwaite had broken through the defence. Sharifi, who was quickly replaced by Atkinson soon after, and Folarin picked up further yellow cards for shirt pulls as Enfield continued to threaten.
The only bright spark up front for the Woods was Williams who was enjoying some success on the left, sending over a couple of fizzing crosses but there was no-one to apply the finishing touch.
There was a possible penalty shout at the other end when an attempted clearance from Bryan Mankumbani saw him catch Vukaj on the lower shin which needed lengthy treatment but it was a corner that awarded by the Referee. From that came a contentious opening goal. Jack Taylor centred, an attempt at a headed clearance fell to an unmarked Matt Hurley, the ball hitting his left arm, before firing a shot on the turn from a few yards. That was blocked on the line but McClenaghan stabbed home the loose ball.
Just four minutes later, the lead was doubled. Folarin rushed across to challenge a high ball with the E’s Sykes who just got the first touch before going to ground and picking up a penalty decision. Vukaj slotted home the spot-kick with an accurate strike.
Northwood made a couple more changes to attempt to rescue something with Bouchareb and Devonte Totesaut replacing Kearney and Smith but there was never any sign of a comeback as Enfield finished well.
Sykes fired over from a good position while substitute Umaru Kabia impressed but was also off-target with two efforts in quick succession but the visitors were home and dry while the Woods had fallen to their fifth successive home defeat in the league. It’s the worst run of home league form since the 2021-22 season when they slumped to eight home losses on the trot.
It doesn’t get any easier for Northwood though as they now play hosts to unbeaten second-placed side Leighton Town next Saturday with a squad that includes four former Woods players in goalkeeper Dan Hosier and a strike force of Kyal Williams, Godlove Oppong and Sydney Ibie.
REPORT by Alan Evans
