Welwyn Garden City's home form continues to desert them after a disappointing bank holiday afternoon against Waltham Abbey.

The final score, a 4-1 defeat, only tells half of the story as they finished the contest at the Pexhurst Stadium, the new name for Herns Lane, with nine men.

The Citizens' ranks were depleted by a second red card of the season, this one for makeshift full-back Zac Brown after two bookings, and a serious-looking injury sustained by teenage forward Lucas Jordan, after they had used all three of their substitutes.

The nine men valiantly tried to plug the gaps for the final 23 minutes of the game but although they held the score to 2-0 until three minutes from the end of normal time, two late goals gave a competent, rather than impressive Waltham Abbey, a handsome victory.

It wasn’t that the victory was undeserved, for the hour that both teams had 11 men aside, the Abbey were the sharper side and deservedly led 1-0 at the interval.

Any boost handed to WGC after their good win at Kidlington two days earlier or their away FA Cup win at Romford one week before, was soon lost in a tepid first-half performance.

They were without Yasin Boodhoo (eye injury) and the unavailable Ryan Doherty at the heart of their defence, and they were sorely missed.

The tricky Olu Ogunnowo, who gave Brown a torrid afternoon, slipped in Aaron Eyoma in the visitors’ first raid in five minutes, Charlie Crowley making a sharp save at the near post.

But on 15 minutes, Crowley was absolutely static as Eyoma cleverly lifted a free-kick up and over the WGC defensive wall for the lead.

The Citizens couldn’t seem to raise the tempo for a reply. Zak Guerfi picked up a booking before forcing Brad Robinson in the visitors’ goal into a save.

A Dernell Wynter header was straight at the keeper before Crowley at the other end handled what was ruled to be a back-pass from Wynter.

Ross Helcke fired the set-piece wildly over the top to end a poor half.

WGC replaced Guerfi with young forward Jordan two minutes after the restart and 10 minutes in, Brown picked up his first caution for holding back Ogunnowo.

The Citizens made a second change 10 minutes into the half, Ethan Kessel coming for Adam Pollock, but within two minutes Brown was dismissed after again fouling Ogunnowo.

 

An unstoppable, rising effort from Prince Domafriyie just about ended the game as a contest a little more than 30 minutes to play.

But worse was to follow four minutes after Bailey Stevenson was replaced by Henry Jones in Welwyn's last substitution.

Jordan crumple under a hefty but fair challenge from Waltham Abbey defender Andrew Tirivanhu and after a lengthy spell of treatment, the young forward had to be helped off the field, hobbling badly.

With a two-man advantage an eager Abbey side eventually broke through on 87 minutes, the unmarked Babardi Kamara heading in from close range.

Remarkably the nine men responded with a goal of their own, Alex Harris sending in a fine long cross that Wynter slid in on for his third goal in as many games.

But it was not the end of the scoring, Eyoma netting his second to give Waltham a lop-sided win.

WGC: Crowley, Z.Brown, Steele, Kaloczi, Harris, Mulley, Guerfi (Jordan 47), Pollock (Kessel 56), Stevenson (Jones 66), Wadkins, Wynter.

Subs (not used): Bryant, F.Brown.