Northwood 1 Hertford Town 2

Tuesday 11th March 2025

NORTHWOOD




1	Aymen Azaze
2	Jayden Ashbourne
3	Junior Paiva (86m)
4	Manny Folarin
5	Jordan Ajanlekoko
6	Hamilton Antonio
7	Bradley Clayton
8	Troy Perez-Duah
9	Samuel Folarin (90m)
10	Nnaemeka Anyanwuh
11	Josh Williams
Substitutes
12	Devonte Totesaut (90m)
14	Brian McGovern
15	Jon-Jo Bates (86m)
16	Michael Kelly
17	Joe Booth

With illness amongst the management team leaving coach Kwaku Agyemang in charge for the night, supported by youth team coaches Mark Chandler and Richard Elderfield, the Woods went into this game against Hertford Town in real need of some valuable points in the developing relegation battle but ultimately there was a feeling of deja-vu as they slipped to their third successive home defeat in eight days, all by a 1-2 scoreline.

Stefan Powell and Alpha Keita-Turay were both still missing with illness too while Jack Empson was unavailable and Hassan Jalloh injured so more changes were necessary with Jayden Ashbourne making his first start at right-back while Hamilton Antonio, on dual-registration from Lewes, came in to bolster the midfield.

In an even start to the game, the visitors were first to get a shot on target after 12 minutes as talented youngster Riley Carr found space down the right for a shot which Aymen Azaze blocked well with his legs at his near-post.

The Woods reacted well and skipper Troy Perez-Duah did well at the other end and hit a shot across the face of goal that was just inches wide of the far post. Two minutes later, Perez-Duah was making space for another shot just inside the box when he was tripped by Joe Nardelli and the referee pointed to the spot. He took the kick himself and slotted home for his sixth of the season, taking him above Archie James in the top scorers list.

It was looking comfortable for the home side but Sam Folarin picked up a yellow card for a foul on Liam Crutchett and it seemed to bring Hertford back into the game with former Woods striker Ade Gbolahan having a couple of efforts in quick succession, both of which were saved by Azaze.

But generally, the Woods were looking comfortable and as the half drew to a close, Josh Williams cut in from the left and his shot was well saved low down by James Callan in goal.

PHOTOS by James Brown

Only five minutes after the restart, the Blues were back on level terms as a free-kick was chipped into the box and saw Gbolahan get ahead of Antonio to take a touch and then bury his shot past Azaze.

Northwood had the opportunity to go back in front almost immediately as a good ball found Sam Folarin on the edge of the six-yard box but he couldn’t force it home as Callan pounced and smothered his shot. Nnaemeka Anyanwu tried his luck from distance soon after but it was well over and as the Woods continued to press, they were almost gifted the lead on 64 minutes.

Nardelli mishit a back-pass to his own ‘keeper and the ball looked a certain own goal as it curled in only for Callan to make a miraculous recovery and make a last-ditch flick off the line despite colliding with the goalpost.

Four minutes later, the Hertford rearguard was put to the test once again as Sam Folarin almost got on the end of a through-ball, the prone Callan just pushing the ball away from his feet. Josh Williams was first to the loose ball and beat Callan but not Nardelli who cleared from the edge of the six-yard box. The ball was played back to Williams who saw his second effort well saved by the ‘keeper and then a third strike blocked by a defender.

After all that, Hertford then grabbed the lead for the first time on 73 minutes as Carr just got the better of Ajanlekoko down the right and knocked in a fierce cross from the bye-line which Azaze could only push out and Ryan Bernal reacted first to the loose ball and crash a shot past three prone bodies at the near-post.

There was time to battle back but once again frustration kicked in with the Woods picking up a series of yellow cards for fouls that broke up the play and made it easier for the visitors to see the game out. It was Hertford who went closest to scoring in the closing stages as substitute Finley Lynch was presented with a headed opportunity but he directed it straight at Azaze.

Apart from a daisy cutter from Anyanwu and a blocked effort from Bradley Clayton, the Woods could offer nothing more to grab a point back. After a run of six defeats in seven games, the Woods, with twelve games still to play, continue to look over their shoulders at the clubs just behind them in the table and the future of playing all those three sides away from home in the weeks to come.

REPORT by Alan Evans



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