Stotfold 1 Northwood 3
Saturday 28th March 2026
| NORTHWOOD | |||
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| 1 | Olly Sinclair | ||
| 2 | Sakeel Brown | ||
| 3 | Bryan Mankumbani  (46m) |
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| 4 | Mohammed Diaby | ||
| 5 | Hamid Seisay | ||
| 6 | Andrew Osei-Bonsu © | ||
| 7 | Ali Bangura | ||
| 8 | Seth Patrick (83m) | ||
| 9 | Tahjae Anderson (70m) | ||
| 10 | Richie Mbele | ||
| 11 | Freddie Ford (83m) | ||
| Substitutes | |||
| 12 | Hamza Miezou (70m) | ||
| 14 | Mohamed Ali (83m) | ||
| 15 | Mack Miskin (55m) | ||
| 16 | Nathan Tormey (83m) | ||
| 17 | Tommy Cooney | ||
Stotfold: Elliot George Jack Smith, Enock Ekongo (Daniel Kemp 46m), Adam Turner, Sebastian Simpson, Daniel Sears, Lewis Thomas
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Northwood went into this game on the back of five successive defeats and deep in relegation trouble but were up against a Stotfold side that had bounced back from a poor run of form with seven points from their last four matches.
After a better showing at league leaders Leighton Town in midweek, the Woods were still hopeful of a good showing. Two days after the registration deadline had passed, manager Tommy Cooney gave starting debuts to three players. Olly Sinclair replaced Dani Cruz in goal after the latter had come off concussed on his own debut at Leighton, while Sakeel Balfour Brown arrived from Harrow Borough and Mohammed Diaby started having been a substitute in midweek.
The Woods had a strong wind behind them for the first half and that showed early when Richie Mbele’s whipped in cross flew dangerously close with the keeper nowhere but it landed on the roof of the net. Soon after, Balfour Brown got down the right and cut the ball back to Freddie Ford who shot wide while being scythed down in the act but penalty claims fell on deaf ears.
On 18 minutes there was a great chance for the visitors as Tahjae Anderson’s shot on the turn was only parried by Elliot Smith and Ford pounced again. His touch knocked the ball wide but he was bundled over again by a defensive challenge; again, no penalty.
The opening goal came two minutes later though as Alie Bangura was allowed space to cut in from the left and he curled a neat strike across goal and inside the far post.
The Woods continued to enjoy the better of possession as the half continued but only grabbed an important second goal after 41 minutes as a great ball through from Seth Patrick sent Bangura in down the middle and he deftly flicked a shot across the keeper and in for his second.
The home side had the benefit of the wind behind them for the second-half and when they scored just two minutes after the restart, alarm bells would have been ringing amongst the Northwood supporters. Mack Miskin had replaced Bryan Mankumbani at half-time but wasn’t tight enough to prevent Antonio Dembele from prodding home from six yards.
But hopes were raised again when Bangura completed an excellent hat-trick on the hour as Diaby’s strike was only parried by Smith in goal and the Woods front man was quick to capitalise, slipping it inside the far post.
It raised the Woods side further ad after 71 minutes, Bangura set up Seth Patrick for a shot which fell to Hamza Miezou. He should have scored but the keeper scrambled it off the line with his feet and then Ford put the loose ball over the top.
On 75 minutes, a handball gave Northwood a penalty which to wrap it up but Patrick missed the target with his effort from twelve yards. It didn’t prove costly though as the Woods defence held strong to the end, aided by a late save from Sinclair and Northwood had completed their only “double” of the season. Tommy Cooney had notched his first win in charge at the eighth attempt.
REPORT by Alan Evans
