Non-League and Academy football writer

Both PFC Victoria London and Shepherd’s Bush are vying for promotion to step six of the non-League system, this season. On Saturday afternoon at Ashford Town’s Robert Parker Stadium, both sides met in a Middlesex County Premier Division fixture. Shepherd’s Bush started the match in first place in the league, with the home side on Saturday – PFC Victoria London, starting the match in second place. In what was a close game of football, it was the league leaders, Shepherd’s Bush, who would get all three points from the game. During the early stages of the game, and after PFC Victoria London player Oskar Dari had found Roman Vírstiuk on the left side of the Shepherd’s Bush penalty area, in what was the first chance of the game. However, Roman Virstíuk’s resulting low effort went wide of the goal. The game was being played at a good pace, during the opening stages. Shepherd’s Bush player Daniel Brown hit an effort wide from the edge of the edge of the PFC Victoria London box, before the home side created a good goalscoring chance. After Paweł Kowalkowskí found Oskar Dari with a through-ball pass, inside the Shepherd’s Bush penalty area, Dari found himself through on goal. However, he was unable to sort his footing out, with a defender fast approaching, and his resulting effort went wide of the goal.

From a Shepherd’s Bush free-kick, Jawad Ziani had an effort saved from the edge of the home side’s penalty area, before PFC Victoria London created a decent goalscoring chance. After controlling the ball on the edge of the Shepherd’s Bush box, Arkadíusz Wilk hit an effort on the bounce, just wide of the goal. After some good hold-up play from the Shepherd’s Bush centre-forward Mohammed Belamouadden (he was very good throughout the match) on the edge of the PFC Victoria London box, he had a good effort on goal well tipped over by Mílan Czerwonka. A good move from the home side followed, with Arkadíusz Wilk having a good effort pushed behind by Shepherd’s Bush goalkeeper Berkley Laurencin. Tyrese Okello then had an effort from the left side of the PFC Victoria London box, well blocked behind by a defender, before Shepherd’s Bush player Maleknia hit an effort wide of the goal, on the bounce. After a close first half, the second half got off to an excellent start for the visiting side, Shepherd’s Bush. As after Jordan Grey was brought down by the feet of goalkeeper Mílan Czerwonka inside the home side’s penalty area, the referee pointed to the penalty spot. Up stepped Tyrese Okello, who despite scoring from the penalty spot, he had to retake it again. He was just as confident and composed the second time though, with his slow run-up resulting in him finding the bottom right hand corner of the goal (for a second time!), to give Shepherd’s Bush the lead.

Roman Virstíuk had an effort saved by Berkley Laurencin inside the Shepherd’s Bush box, before Shepherd’s Bush were awarded a second penalty-kick, shortly after. After Tyrese Okello had been brought down inside the PFC Victoria London box by Matt Maślanka, the referee again pointed to the penalty spot. However, Tyrese Okello’s effort was well saved and gathered by Mílan Czerwonka. Oskar Dari then had a good chance to get an equalising goal, but with Berkley Laurencin rushing off of his goal-line inside the Shepherd’s Bush box, Dari’s effort from close range was saved. Jakub Malczuk then hit an effort over the goal, from the edge of the Shepherd’s Bush penalty area, as PFC Victoria London continued to try and get back into the game. However, after Roman Virstíuk was shown his second yellow card of the game, PFC Victoria London’s chances of getting anything from the game became less. A good run by Shepherd’s Bush player Caleb Dennis, resulted in the defender running to the edge of the PFC Victoria London box, before having an effort saved by the goalkeeper. A free-kick which was awarded for PFC Victoria London on the edge of the Shepherd’s Bush box, presented a good chance for forward Paweł Kowalkowskí. However, his curling effort over the Shepherd’s Bush wall, was saved by Berkley Laurencin.

Some good skill by Tyrese Okello on the left side of the PFC Victoria London box resulted in the skilful Shepherd’s Bush winger hitting an effort wide of the goal. A good cross into the home team’s penalty area from Tyrese Okello shortly after, saw him find the unmarked substitute Belousas. However, his headed effort from close range went over the goal, with Shepherd’s Bush then seeing out the final minutes of the game, to get the win. This was a close game of football in my opinion, particularly during the first half, but Shepherd’s Bush were more clinical and that bit more creative on the day. They defended really solidly as a team, limiting PFC Victoria London to not very many good chances. And for me, it was the Shepherd’s Bush captain and central defender Aaron Morgan, who was my player of the match, despite a number of notable performances from the away side on Saturday afternoon. His positioning was both impressive and very important to Shepherd’s Bush keeping a clean-sheet, and his passing out from defence was also good. The title race in the Middlesex County Premier Division, is far from over, despite this result. There are still a good number of games to be played, and it will be interesting to see who earns promotion to step six of the non-League system, at the end of this season. However, the game on Saturday was a good and very competitive game of non-League football.