Non-League and Academy football writer

After attending a category one academy match in the morning, I then headed straight to Cheshunt’s Theobalds Lane Stadium, to watch fifth place FC Romania (they ground share with Cheshunt), face top of the league Real Bedford, in a Spartan South Midlands Premier Division fixture. This match was a real game of two halves, with FC Romania doing really well during the first half of the match, and Real Bedford being very clinical and creative in the second half, although a key moment in the second half, was when FC Romania player Zenon Stylianides was sent to the sin bin, with the score at 1-1. This was my first visit to Theobalds Lane to see FC Romania play, and it was a really good game of football on Saturday, at a nice ground. After starting the match at a really good intensity, the home side took an early lead, in the eighth minute of the game. After the FC Romania number 11 found their number eight with a nice lofted pass inside the Real Bedford penalty area. The FC Romania number eight finished well around the goalkeeper, to give the home side the lead. After a Real Bedford player hit an effort over the FC Romania goal, a headed effort on the same goal was well headed behind by a defender, shortly after.

After the FC Romania number three received the ball on the left side of the Real Bedford box, he turned well inside the penalty area, before seeing his low effort cleared off the line by a defender. After a decent Real Bedford effort from distance was deflected behind by a defender, following some clever work by FC Romania player Zenon Stylianides, the FC Romania number eight took the ball towards the edge of the Real Bedford box, before having a good low effort well turned behind by the goalkeeper. Former Spurs academy player Zenon Stylianides hit an ambitious effort wide from distance, after spotting the Real Bedford goalkeeper off of his line, before the Real Bedford number nine headed over a really good chance from close range, inside the FC Romania box. Just before half-time however, Real Bedford managed to draw level in the game. Mohammed Ahmed’s cross into the FC Romania box, ended up falling to Josh Setchell, who powerfully found the back of the goal, from a good, low effort. 

Early on in the second half, Real Bedford played Mohammed Ahmed had a good effort from the left side of the FC Romania box, tipped behind by the goalkeeper. Real Bedford were now the better team in the game. From a long throw-in into the FC Romania box, a headed effort on goal was excellently kept out by the goalkeeper. Then a couple of minutes later, the Real Bedford centre-forward and number nine missed a great headed chance at the back post of the FC Romania goal. FC Romania player Zenon Stylianides was then sent to the sin bin, and this would be an important moment in the game. With ten men on the field, FC Romania were unable to stop Real Bedford from taking the lead, with Joe Evans tapping home Josh Setchell’s low cross towards the back post, from inside the FC Romania box. Shortly afterwards, Real Bedford made it 3-1. Ben Stevens’ corner-kick into the FC Romania box, was finished well with the side of his boot, by Lewis Burgess, to effectively win the game for the visiting side.

Real Bedford did have a couple more chances to extend their lead during the final stages of the game, however, the final score was 3-1 to the away side. This was a very good game of football, and one in which the away side showed real character in to win the game, in the second half.