For further match reports, please visit: ww.northwoodfc.com
Northwood 0 Flackwell Heath 3
Pitching In Southern League – Division One Central
By Alan Evans
Northwood went into this game with renewed hopes of picking up the points required to close the ever-increasing gap from relegation safety but were unable to match a Flackwell Heath side that performed to a high-energy level throughout and were deserved winners.
There was just one enforced change to the starting line-up that had picked up a point at the weekend with Revin Domi ruled out with injury and there was a surprise appearance for former Woods assistant manager Keagan Cole who was drafted in to cover from Hendon having been dual-registered all-season. Another new recruit, striker Mohamed Ali, an arrival from Hilltop, took a place on the bench.
The Heathens included a recent signing, former Woods striker Lindell Stewart, up front in their line-up as they looked to improve their mid-table position in the table. There was a cagey start to the game with a Stewart header being comfortably taken by Woods goalkeeper Ryan Kelly the first effort on goal, followed a couple of minutes later with a similar effort from Cole looping up for Flackwell’s Henry Upstell to collect similarly.
After 11 minutes, Kelly had to be alert to keep out a good strike, while at the other end Seb Robbemond missed out on a chance to go for goal as the half continued to progress slowly but with the visitors in control. It was after 24 minutes that the Woods created an opportunity but Cole slipped inside the box and the chance was gone. Four minutes later, the Heathens created a great opportunity to take the lead but Sean McGuinness put his effort wide.
The visitors continued to press and attack with directness that Northwood found difficult to deal with at times and Neilon Pascall got through and beat Kelly with a shot that also went wide of the far post and on 40 minutes Stewart converted a ball in from the right but it was ruled out for a tight offside decision with the half coming to an end still goalless.
It took Flackwell Heath just five minutes into the second-half to grab the goal that their dominance had deserved with Eli Grant cutting in from out wide and finding the dangerous Jack Shakespeare who created a bit of space before firing a shot into the bottom corner from just outside the box.
Just three minutes later that lead was doubled as Harry Mepham swung in a corner from the right and Kelly was only able to help the ball over the line as he looked to turn it over the bar. The reaction from management was instant as the Woods made four substitutions inside three minutes. Firstly, on came Kieron Lake-Bryan and Mohamed Ali to replace Sol Alidor-Hamilton and Osa Otote. Then Gabriel Ipanga and Cole were replaced by Claudio Nzang and Freddie Ford.
And there was almost an instant response when Ali picked up the ball just outside the box and turned into the box to hit a rasping shot that was turned away by Upstell for a corner.
Sadly, after that, the visitors maintained their grip on proceedings. Lewis Patrick sliced an opportunity well wide before Ben Stallard went close as he curled a shot wide of the left-hand post after 78 minutes. A third goal seemed likely though and it arrived on 83 minutes when substitute Matt Roberts was given too much space and he neatly fired a shot in at the far post to complete a comprehensive victory for the Heathens.
The defeat still leaves the Woods nine points adrift of Aylesbury United who sit just outside the bottom four having played just one game more. Northwood now travel to play third-placed Biggleswade Town on Saturday hoping that their better away form can be sustained.
Woods: Ryan Kelly, Sol Alidor-Hamilton (Kieron Lake-Bryan 53m), Mack Miskin, Seb Robbemond,
Gabe Cuthbert, Andrew Osei-Bonsu, Osa Otote (Mohamed Ali 53m), Richie Mbele, Alie Bangura,
Keagan Cole (Freddie Ford 55m), Gabriel Ipanga (Claudio Nzang 55m).
Unused Sub: Bryan Mankumbani
Yellow Card: Cuthbert
Attendance: 116
Pictures from the game can be found here: https://t.co/G5ncPdbnOS
Heading
London Lions 1 Northwood 1
Pitching In Southern League – Division One Central
By Alan Evans
The Woods finally picked up their first league point of 2026 with this draw at London Lions but there was a feeling afterwards that they probably should have picked up all three having dominated for long periods of the match and that allowed the home side to end a run of three successive defeats.
After impressing in defeat against Beaconsfield Town in midweek, Tommy Cooney’s new-look side included three more new faces in midfielder Seb Robbemond, on dual-registration from Newark & Sherwood United and Claudio Nzang, loaned from Leyton Orient while there was a return to the club for Gabriel Ipanga who made a handful of appearances for the club last season.
It was the Woods who started much the better and there was only two minutes on the clock when the Lions defence failed to clear several times and eventually a good ball in from Ipanga was brought down by Alie Bangura but a block rebounded luckily to goalkeeper Nathan Bloohn.
A minute later, Osa Otote made inroad down the other flank and went for goal but his shot was comfortable for Bloohn to keep out, he also saved from Bangura again soon after and the home ‘keeper came to his sides rescue again on seven minutes as he blocked another effort when Otote raced into the box having won the ball on the halfway line.
It wasn’t totally one-way though as Woods goalkeeper Ryan Kelly was also called upon to keep out a good strike from Max Kyte just before that and on 18 minutes, he also had to push away a long-range effort from Max Davis.
Back came Northwood through Otote, cutting in from the left and setting up Revin Domi for a shot which took a deflection off a defender and looped up and over for a corner. Nothing came of that but almost immediately a great ball from Andrew Osei-Bonsu picked out the run of Bangura but Bloohn was out quickly to just avert the danger.
Despite that dominance, it was London Lions who grabbed the lead when Ben Barnett was given far too much space outside the area and he was able to arrow a shot inside Kelly’s left-hand post for a neat finish. It was still the Woods who dominated proceedings though. Domi wasn’t far wide of the near-post with a strike from the right-side of the penalty area and then Otote got success on the outside of his marker and cut the ball back invitingly but that was cleared.
Ipanga tried his luck from distance on 35 minutes but it flew over the bar and then more good work from Otote saw him set up Mack Miskin who swept the ball goalwards but it was again deflected over the top. Miskin swung in the resulting corner and it gave Sol Alidor-Hamilton with a free header at the back post but he steered it wide of the target.
So, the Lions still found themselves a goal ahead at the break but the Woods finally got a breakthrough five minutes into the second-half when Ipanga swung in a deep cross from the right and Bangura showed great positional sense to cushion a header back across goal and inside the first-half with Bloohn left a spectator.
Nzang replaced Otote three minutes later for his debut and then Domi went close once more with a shot that again showed the Lions were willing to defend well with another block that deflected wide. Alidor-Hamilton picked up a knock and had to be replaced by Kieron Lake-Bryan on the hour and the home side had a good effort on goal three minutes later when Ben Bellman saw his excellent header from a corner tipped over acrobatically by Kelly.
The Woods still pushed to try to get ahead in the game and after 70 minutes Bangura went close again when he robbed Barnett just outside the box and tried to curl an effort past Bloohn but the ‘keeper was equal to it diving and putting out a strong hand which pushed the shot wide.
Northwood rolled the dice with a couple more attacking substitutions, Harry McKenna and Freddie Ford replacing Ipanga and an injured Domi but it failed to produce any real chances in the final fifteen minutes. It was the Lions who almost grabbed the win after 87 minutes when they broke quickly down the right and a cross picked out Zak Jackson whose effort rose and came back off the crossbar before it was cleared. It would have been a real steal.
Woods: Ryan Kelly, Sol Alidor-Hamilton (Kieron Lake-Bryan 59m), Mack Miskin, Seb Robbemond,
Gabe Cuthbert, Andrew Osei-Bonsu, Gabriel Ipanga (Harry McKenna 74m), Richie Mbele, Alie
Bangura, Revin Domi (Freddie Ford 79m), Osa Otote (Claudio Nzang 53m).
Unused Sub: Bryan Mankumbani
Yellow Cards: Osei-Bonsu, Robbemond
Attendance: 100
Pictures from the game can be found here: https://t.co/G5ncPdbnOS
Ware 4 Northwood 0
Pitching In Southern League – Division One Central
By Alan Evans
Northwood fell to their fifth successive loss since the turn of the year with their heaviest away defeat of the season as their hopes of avoiding relegation took a further blow in the second-half of this contest at Wodson Park.
Skipper Manny Folarin made his return to the defence following a two-match ban that was extended by the bad weather and there was another change in goal with Alfie Bonfield returning for a second spell with the Woods, having previously made a couple of appearances back in 2019. There was also a first start of the season for Harry McCorkell, following his recent return from injury and also for former U18s striker Frankie Pass as Ezra Ndukuba was recalled by Egham. There was a place on the bench for new recruit Lewis Croucher, a midfielder whose most recent club was Enfield.
Ware had suffered a similar run of form since starting 2026 with just one point from their five matches so it was a matter of which side could put an end to their recent woes on the day and Northwood started brightly enough when Carl Stewart, making his 150 th appearance for the club,found Dan Williams in space but he hit his shot straight at goalkeeper Fred Burbidge who gathered comfortably.
The home side then had a chance themselves though as Samuel Mayuma barged his way past Folarin into the box and rolled the ball to Reece Beckles-Richards but the Ware top scorer fired over the bar. Back came the Woods with Osa Otote trying his luck from distance and although his strike beat the keeper’s dive and dipped it was still just too high. On 15 minutes, there was some good inter-playinvolving a combination of Northwood players which saw McCorkell played into the area. A half-chance for sure but his shot was well blocked for a corner. Folarin won the header from that but any danger was cleared away.
As the half progressed, there was little flow to the game, interrupted by a series of free-kicks and after Stewart picked up the first yellow of the game, two Ware players followed – Sami Moutawafiq and Mayuma; all seemed a little harsh.
It had been pretty even with neither goalkeeper particularly busy before the whole game turned on a 44 th minute decision. Moutawafiq played a ball towards Josh Hutchinson on the edge of the box and he managed to hold off the challenge of both Dan Vincent and Folarin in letting it run through to Beckles-Richards. He took it on past Bonfield and stumbled in the act of shooting after the slightest of touches on the back of his ankle with the Referee pointing to the spot. The striker got up to fire the penalty into the roof of the net to put Ware in front.
Northwood responded in stoppage-time when Williams set up Vincent for a strike from outside the box but it drifted wide of the post and the home side had the lead at the break. That was as good as it got though for Northwood as their second-half performance fell apart. Hutchinson was first to go close on 53 minutes with a shot on the turn which flashed over the top but five minutes later they doubled their lead when a corner picked out skipper Jack Grosvenor who rose highest to glance a header into the far corner.
Substitutions followed with Stephane Bombelenga introduced for McCorkell who limped off on 65 minutes; Ware made two changes soon after and one of those, Gucci Soulya was perhaps lucky to get away with just a yellow card for an almost immediate high challenge on Pass on the centre circle.
It was from a Northwood attack on 75 minutes that that Ware bagged a third goal on the counter- attack as they broke quickly through Beckles-Richards down the right flank and he unselfishly squared for substitute Johnny Allotey to apply a simple finish. Both Henry Atkinson and Jordan Ellis were introduced after this; Pass and Otote replaced but there was no sign of any stirring comeback and also no surprise when the home side notched a fourth goal on 82 minutes, as another substitute, Rechan Esprit collected a ball from the right, swivelled to find space and then hit a bobbling left-foot shot which crept inside the post.
With Leverstock Green beating title-contenders Hitchin Town in an exciting game to complete six points in five days, the Woods cannot leave it much longer to start picking up points. Next up is a home game against Welwyn Garden City at the Skyline Roofing Stadium on Saturday.
Woods: Alfie Bonfield, Ademide Baruwa, Mack Miskin, Dan Vincent, Manny Folarin, Ethan Cann, Frankie Pass (Henry Atkinson 78m), Carl Stewart (Lewis Croucher 83m), Dan Williams, Harry McCorkell (Stephane Bombelenga 65m), Osa Otote
(Jordan Ellis 78m).
Unused Sub: Bryan Mankumbani
Yellow Card: Stewart
Attendance: 194
By Alan Evans
A short gap in the incessant wet weather finally allowed the Woods to return to the Skyline Roofing Stadium for their first home game since before Christmas as the side looked to end a run of three successive league defeats.
Mid-table Milton Keynes Irish were making their first-ever visit to Northwood who were playing their first game under the current interim management of Dennis Quigley and Mark Chandler. With both central defenders, Manny Folarin and Gabe Cuthbert, ruled out with suspension and another, Louis Udeh, missing with injury, former Charlton Athletic youngster Ethan Cann came in on dual-registration from Enfield Town to partner Bryan Mankumbani in an unfamiliar partnership. With goalkeeper Hafed Al-Droubi having departed, in came another teenager, Kai Mussilhy for his debut between the sticks having played a few games for Chesham United this season. That wasn’t the end of the new faces either as former Uxbridge attacker Ezra Ndukuba made his Woods debut having joined on dual-registration from Egham Town. On the bench for a first appearance of the season, after a long recuperation from a double-hernia operation, it was good to see Harry McCorkell as well as former Under-18s striker Frankie Pass who has been having a good season for North Greenford United at Step 5.
And the Woods made an excellent start to the game with Carl Stewart combining with Dan Williams to set up Osa Otote for a strike on five minutes that goalkeeper Tom Ladyman kept out at his near-post.
The visitors tried to hit back with Mussilhy getting some early action to scramble a long ball behind for a corner and then comfortable taking a deflected effort from George Shrieves but Williams also went close with a shot that was wide of the far post and then it was Northwood who grabbed the lead after 19 minutes. Otote was the
instigator with a chip forward from just outside the box which took a slight deflection that helped it into the path of Dan Williams who did well to lift his shot past Ladyman and into the roof of the net for his thirteenth of the season.
The Woods defence was holding together well while MK looked vulnerable. On 29 minutes, Williams turned provider with a good ball in from the right which was met by a left-foot volley from Ndukuba but his effort came back off the post and was cleared.
Six minutes later, the dangerous Otote did the hard work as he drifted past a couple of defensive efforts across the edge of the box and got a clear sight of goal but steered his shot wide of the far post. It was only a narrow lead at the break and the Irish were quickly on the front-foot after the restart as Owen Brooks beat Mack Miskin on the right to knock in a good chip which Mussilhy could only just get two hands to. The ball spilled in the six-yard box but thankfully the Woods keeper was alert to then slap away Cann’s attempt at a clearance before the ball was eventually cleared.
On 52 minutes, Northwood doubled the lead though and it was a solo effort from Ndukuba as he collected a ball just outside the box and jinked right to find enough space to arrow a perfect strike through the legs of a defender and inside the far post with Ladyman unable to get across to it.
The Woods were good value for their two-goal lead but the visitors were showing signs of recovery when Shrieves cut in from the left to test Mussilhy with a low strike that he saved comfortably but Williams then limped off to be replaced by Stephane Bombelenga, himself back from injury, on 64 minutes. Three minutes later, Dan Vincent was replaced by McCorkell and these substitutions were just after MK had freshened up their own side with three replacements themselves.
The Woods were coping well enough though, even when Ryan Smith tried his luck with a powerful strike from distance after 75 minutes which needed Mussilhy to dive to his left and push it round the post. However, just a minute later, the Irish were back in the game as a cross from the right from Clinton Zawe saw Cann wrong-footed as he attempted to clear and Shrieves was able to neatly touch the ball past Mussilhy. Just three minutes later the Woods defence imploded as Cann played a ball back to Mussilhy and the keeper was unable to get any real distance on his clearance. Smith slipped the ball into an unmarked Shrieves inside the box and he showed great
composure to move across Cann before firing home to level the scores.
On 80 minutes, Mussilhy kept out a speculative effort from Mason Spence but just a minute later the visitors had turned the game on its head. Shrieves swapped passes with Spence to race to the edge of the box. He tried to pick out his fellow attacker at the far post but when Mankumbani managed to block, Shrieves was fastest off the mark to the loose ball and raced across Cann to slot in a remarkable hat-trick inside 5 minutes and 9 seconds.
The shell-shocked Woods made two more changes in an attempt to recover something with Pass and Jamie Kennedy replacing Ndukuba and Otote. Both looked lively and knocked in some testing crosses but MK looked unlikely to let their lead slip. The only real chance came on 93 minutes as Pass unveiled his long-throw into the box and both Ademide Baruwa and Bombelenga were close to getting a touch but in fact a defender’s outstretched leg knocked in goalwards and Ladyman was able to smother it just in time.
It was a hammer blow for the Woods who had looked well on top for more than an hour but the defeat leaves them still deep in relegation trouble. Next up is a visit to Ware next Saturday, whose play-off hopes were damaged with a 4-1 defeat at title contenders Hitchin Town.
Woods: Kai Mussilhy, Ademide Baruwa, Mack Miskin, Dan Vincent (Harry McCorkell 67m), Ethan Cann, Bryan Mankumbani, Ezra Ndukuba (Frankie Pass 84m), Carl Stewart, Dan Williams (Stephane Bombelenga 64m), Freddie Ford, Osa Otote (Jamie Kennedy 86m).
Unused Sub: Harry McKenna
Yellow Cards: None
Attendance: 137
Northwood 2 Milton Keynes Irish 3
Pitching In Southern League – Division One Central
