AFC DUNSTABLE 2 NORTHWOOD 2
AFC Dunstable 2 Northwood 2 (2-0 Half time)
Southern League Central Division 1
Creasey Park, Saturday 9th August 2025.
Attendance – 110
Match report by Richard Church.
A frustrating day on a very windy but sunny afternoon saw the points shared – Northwood probably deserved the point but to concede a last minute equaliser is the frustration – so close to an opening day win.
The first 20 minutes was very much a non contest with neither team creating any decent chances. The wind blowing heavily down the length of the pitch did not help. The first real chance came on 22 minutes when a Northwood free kick played in to the box was well saved by Matt but it bounced off him towards the visiting striker – fortunately Matt was on his toes and dived bravely at his feet to complete the save. We got lucky a couple of minutes later when another free kick was floated in to the box and was allowed to bounce completely wrong footing Matt – fortunately Whits was on his toes and he made a last ditch interception to clear the ball to safety.
Pretty much against the run of play the ODs took control of the game in a 2 minute spell just after the half hour. Tali played an incisive ball inside the visiting right back to the onrunning Tommy B. Tommy took a touch and smacked the ball home to give us a 1-0 lead. Two minutes later Tommy returned the favour when he chipped a free kick in to Tali who controlled the ball with superb technique – his touch and drop of the shoulder took him round the stranded keeper and he knocked the ball in to the now unguarded net. Not quite sure how, but we went in to the half time break 2 goals up!
The second half started with Northwood very much on the front foot. Within 3 minutes a sharp turn and shot went narrowly over the bar and just a minute later, the visitors should have scored but a brilliant double save from Matt kept us the two goals in front.
With 10 minutes of the half gone a lovely through ball from Maks to George saw him closing in on goal but his final shot was very tame and went straight to the keeper. Tali then had an opportunity to score following some lovely skills from himself but this time his rather weak shot went some distance wide of the goal.
Northwood got back in to the game on 64 when a lovely chipped ball to the edge of the area held up in the wind which deceived Matt and as he came out to collect, Devonte Totesaut nipped in to head the ball past Matt and then smacked the ball home to halve the deficit.
AFC were then hanging on a bit but still just about controlled the game and were unlucky not to further their lead – Sean had a decent shot blocked on 80 minutes immediately followed by an effort from George that the visiting keeper just managed to tip over the bar. Eric had an opportunity to score from a free kick with 4 minutes left – he struck it well but it went wide of the post.
With 5 minutes of added time showing, we got hit with a sucker punch. Northwoods number 3, Mack Miskin lined up to take a free kick way outside of the box – perhaps 25 yards plus. He hit it with very good technique and it flew past the diving Matt down low to his right to draw the visitors level. To be fair, a draw was probably the least that Northwood deserved, so honours even and on to Tuesday evenings match away to Welwyn Garden City.
Man of the match (as decided by the AFC committee) was Mwita ‘Whits’ Mgoyo.
Team line up (subs in brackets) ; Matt Bonsu, Joshua Clark-Anderson, Thomas Soares Feyitan, George Joyce (Aaron Addy 83), Shawn Joseph, Mwita Mgoyo, Abel Damoah-Kyeremeh (Maks Jarzabek 53), Tommy Blennerhasset (Axel Ampedu 83), Sean Duodu (Harry Riley 91), Tali Jallow (Eric Frunza 81), Kyle Brooks.
