Northwood 2  Welwyn Garden City 2

Tuesday 31st March 2026

 

NORTHWOOD
1	Olly Sinclair
2	Sakeel Brown (67m)
3	Mack Miskin
4	Mohammed Diaby (46m)
5	Hamid Seisay
6	Andrew Osei-Bonsu ©
7	Ali Bangura
8	Seth Patrick
9	Hamza Miezou (47m)
10	Richie Mbele
11	Freddie Ford (62m)
Substitutes
12	Arel Amu (47m)
14	Mohamed Ali (62m)
15	Bryan Mankumbani
16	Nathan Tormey (67m)
17	Tommy Cooney (46m)
	Welwyn: Lamar Johnson, Adam Pollock (Panny Boxer 78m), Layne Eadie (Jola Adeoti 50m), Jack Green, Callum Taylor, Tom Bruno , Eddie Corbit, Steve Cawley, Ethan Rookard, Remel Larwood (Evaristo Mendes 77m), Nick Ralfe (Ryan Kirwan 87m)

The Woods went onto this game knowing that it was pretty much a must-win contest if they were to improve their narrow chances of avoiding relegation this season against a Welwyn side that had dropped away from play-off contention in the last month or so.

Having recorded their first win of 2026 at the weekend, 3-1 at Stotfold, they needed to use the confidence gained from that to follow-up and it naming himself on the bench for the first time.

There was a pretty even start to what was an open game. Goalkeeper Olly Sinclair made a couple of early saves while, at the other end, Alie Bangura hit one shot over the bar and then was just denied by goalkeeper Lamar Johnson when he tried to go round him, one-on-one.

But it was the Woods who grabbed the opening goal on 26 minutes as Hamza Miezou twisted and turned in the box and the ball ran loose to where Freddie Ford clipped it into the top corner.

Miezou had a chance with a header from a Mack Miskin corner soon after but with just five minutes to go to half-time, Welwyn were level as Eddie Corbit headed on a long throw which looped up and over Sinclair for a fortuitous equaliser.

The Citizens raised their game in the closing stages of the half. Sinclair made another great diving stop two minutes later but in the final minute before the break Nick Ralfe found space to fire into the bottom corner and they had turned things around.

Double-change at the break as Cooney and Arel Amu replace Mohammed Diaby and Miezou but it was the visitors who remained on top, a deflection and a wide volley from Corbit helping the Woods stay within touching distance.

PHOTOS by James Brown

On the hour, Northwood finally created a chance as Bangura squared a cross from the right but Sakeel Balfour Brown missed the opportunity at the far post. There was a similar move two minutes later but this time both Amu and Balfour Brown were unable to touch the ball in from close-range.

The visitors hit the post from a header at a corner on 69 minutes but it was still the Woods who were in the ascendence. Joseph had to save a powerful header from his own defender but could do nothing to prevent the Northwood equaliser on 75 minutes as a scramble in the box saw Amu pounce to poke the ball over the line.

Both sides had one chance to win the match. Ethan Rookard skied a shot on goal for Welwyn while Seth Patrick drove a shot from outside the area which flashed just wide late on for the Woods.

REPORT by Alan Evans