Ware were held to a 0-0 home stalemate in the local derby against Welwyn Garden City, played one hundred years on from the first meeting between the neighbouring sides. It was the first goalless draw in this fixture for 77 years.
Though winless in their previous five, the Citizens arrived expecting to face a home side low on morale after the Blues had failed to collect points in their last three outings. A gap of seven points separated the two sides before kick-off, with Ware sitting eighth and Welwyn fourteenth. The league positions pointed toward the even and competitive derby that followed.
For the second week running, manager Paul Halsey opted for a 4-3-3 formation. Gabriel Ward, Rechan Esprit and Johnny Allotey all returned to the starting eleven. Ware began with the majority of possession in the opening ten minutes, although clear chances were limited. A potentially soft yellow card followed after a challenge halted a fast-developing Blues attack. The opening twenty minutes remained closely contested as both sides settled into the game.
As the half-hour approached, Theo Ofori’s heavy touch forced him to carry the ball across his own box in a moment of self-inflicted danger, leading to the loss of possession and the biggest chance of the derby for Welwyn. The one-on-one opportunity was dragged wide of the left post. A cagey opening half-hour produced little attacking quality from either side, though Allotey asked questions of the Citizens’ backline with his direct running. Ware’s best chance of the half followed soon after, as a low ball into the box caused a scramble before Welwyn eventually cleared their lines.
The closing stages of the first half saw Ward booked after a late and heavy challenge, with Garden City appealing to referee Daniel Baines for further punishment. At the interval, Ware looked marginally the better side in a lacklustre opening period, with little sign of the fireworks often associated with derby encounters.
Welwyn emerged brightly after the restart and had the ball in the net early in the second half, only for the effort to be ruled out for offside. As the half developed, possession became more evenly shared compared to Ware’s control before the break.
On the hour, Gucci Soulya and Gabriel Chapps were introduced in place of Esprit and Reece Beckles-Richards. The substitutions coincided with a stop-start period of play. Frequent interruptions made it difficult for either side to build momentum or find a decisive breakthrough.
Just beyond the seventieth minute, Ofori struck a volley from distance that flew wide of the post. Welwyn and St Lucia goalkeeper Lamar Johnson was forced to adjust across his goal line in a match where he had largely been untested. At the opposite end, Ware goalkeeper Fred Burbidge invited pressure after a short goal kick was cheaply surrendered, allowing the Citizens to deliver an unanswered cross into the area.
As the match entered its closing stages, the Blues were left weighing up whether to push for a late winner or accept a point. The draw suited Welwyn, given it was only their second league fixture of the year and a further test of their sharpness. In stoppage time, a Welwyn free kick from a promising position was fired over the crossbar, bringing the contest to an end at the sound of Mr Baines’ final whistle.
The result extends Ware’s winless run to four matches, with points at home proving difficult to come by. Goals have also been hard to find, with the Blues now failing to score in three of their last four fixtures. Welwyn continue their unbeaten start to 2026 and drop to fifteenth despite the draw, holding two games in hand on eighth-placed Ware.
Line-ups and cards
Ware: Fred Burbidge, Gabriel Ward, David Sota, Sami Moutawafiq, Jack Grosvenor (C), Theo Ofori, Jack Taylor, Reece Beckles-Richards (Gabriel Chapps 60mins), Rechan Esprit (Gucci Soulya-Osekanongo 60mins), Johnny Allotey, Josh Okotcha. Unused subs: Leigh Rose, Roman Chapps, Max Granville.
Yellow cards: Gabriel Ward 40mins, Jack Taylor 80mins, Jack Grosvenor 94mins.
Welwyn Garden City: Lamar Johnson, Layne Easie (C), Jack Green, Aiden Read, Ryan Kirwan (Remel Larwood 50mins), Tom Bruno, Carlos Valesco, Steve Cawley, Eddie Corbit, Nick Ralfe (Panny Boxer 69mins), Lewis Taaffe. Unused subs: Adam Pollock, Jola Adeoti, Evaristo Mendes.
Yellow cards: Lewis Taaffe 13mins, Eddie Corbit 77mins.
