Welwyn Garden City have now made two trips to Stofold's New Roker Park and both have ended in defeat - by the same score.

Last season the sides had met towards the end of the season with the Eagles running out 2-1 winners, the winner coming in stoppage time.

This time, the Southern League Division One Central fixture was won in the 66th minute but it was the manner of the goals that left disappointment, Stotfold ceding territory but hitting WGC on the break.

And the Citizens were also guilty of countless wasted chances.

They had started brightly in the opening quarter, Charlie McDonald withe their first effort as he was sent away down the byline.

He cut inside but shot straight at home keeper Alex Street.

Then McDonald and Bailey Stevenson, McDonald threading through a fine pass for Stevenson to pounce on.

Street spread himself well to tip away the effort and it proved to be their clearest chance of the afternoon.

They kept the pressure on though until they were stunned by Stotfold’s first serious attack.

The home side spread the ball along their entire midfield, before finding space for one-time WGC winger Robbie Buchanan to come in from the right and drive a low effort past Joe Welch on 19 minutes.

WGC’s response was spasmodic. Stevenson made a mazy run past three home defenders on the by-line, pulled it back but strike partner Reece Cameron struck a poor effort that was easy for Street to save.

Then a trademark Benjy Crilley long throw was hooked over to Stevenson on the back post but he blazed his effort wildly over.

Early in the second-half, Weatherstone began to make his changes, beginning with giving the returned Joe Bennett his third WGC debut after re-signing for the club from Hertford Town.

He replaced central defender Aiden Read, who had an unsettling afternoon at the heart of the WGC defence.

Just past the hour, WGC found themselves level.

From a left-wing cross Cameron slotted over a good ball. A bout of head tennis ensued in the area, before Lewis Taaffe got the final one, sending it over Street into the far corner for his first for the club this season.

Sadly for WGC, parity only lasted five minutes. From a Stotfold free-kick out on the right, Haroon Merahi headed back across goal and midfielder Alex Coppin hit a sweet volley through a crowded area into the bottom corner, leaving Welch stationary.

WGC had replaced McDonald and Taaffe with skipper Brad Wadkins and Harry Gallagher and fine work from Zuriel Otseh-Taiwo created a good chance for Cameron, but again he sent his effort over the top.

The Citizens’ fate looked to be sealed six minutes from time, when Stotfold were given a penalty for handball against Layne Eadie.

Welch made an excellent stop from Merahi’s spot-kick, tipping it behind, to keep WGC’s slender hopes alive for a further few minutes.

But they couldn’t penetrate Stotfold again and for the second season in succession, returned from their visit to the new Roker Park, with no reward.

WGC; Welch, Otseh-Taiwo, Eadie, Crilley, Read (Bennett 55), Sellers, McDonald (Wadkins 62), Green (Steel 85), Taaffe (Gallagher 76), Stevenson, Cameron.

Sub (not used): Kirwan.