Non-League and Academy football writer

There was a big cup game at Parkside on Friday night, as Aveley Under 23s faced Walthamstow Reserves in the first semi-final tie of the 2023/24 edition of the Essex Alliance League Senior Division Cup. Aveley Under 23s are currently in 11th place in the Essex Alliance League Senior Division standings, with Walthamstow Reserves sitting in seventh place in the league. However, this was a cup game, and a big game for both teams. The winner of this cup tie would face either league champions FC Baresi, or Haringey Borough Under 23s, in the final of the competition. Walthamstow Reserves would win this cup game 3-1, and they deserved to win. Walthamstow Reserves started the game very well, and they would take the lead during the early stages of the game. A really positive forward run with the ball from Bilel Benyoucef, would result in the Walthamstow winger taking the ball forward at pace, down the right flank. Benyoucef would eventually deliver a good, whipped cross into the centre of the Aveley penalty area, and Issa Sidibe was there to tap the ball into the goal on the bounce, from close range, 0-1. A couple of minutes later, Issa Sidibe would find Ezra Agyiri on the left-hand side of the Aveley box, but the winger would see his low effort on goal saved by Aveley goalkeeper Oliver Johnson.

After Bilel Benyoucef had hit an effort over from the right-hand side of the Aveley penalty area, Issa Sidibe hit an over-head effort wide of Johnson’s goal, after connecting with Bilel Benyoucef’s corner-kick delivery into the penalty area. Following a great surging forward run from Aveley player Airon Paul into the Walthamstow penalty area, he was only stopped by a great recovery block from Walthamstow defender George Hellen. Walthamstow would then go onto create two chances in quick succession. The first one came from Issa Sidibe, whose effort on the bounce from distance went wide of the Aveley goal. Then, shortly after that chance Ezra Agyiri hit a powerful effort on the bounce just wide of Oliver Johnson’s left-hand post, from inside the Aveley penalty area, after meeting George Hellen’s great diagonal pass. Airon Paul would then hit an effort over from inside the Walthamstow box, and then a couple of moments later the same player received the ball on the left side of the Walthamstow box, but his powerfully struck effort was well tipped over by goalkeeper Marwan Hassan.

Walthamstow Reserves would end the first half in brilliant fashion. After Ezra Agyiri had received Issa Sidibe’s pass on the left-hand side of the Aveley penalty area, the skilful Walthamstow winger would then put the ball across the face of Oliver Johnson’s goal. And Issa Sidibe was there to head the ball past Johnson from close range, 0-2. And not long after making it 2-0, Eny Okoro’s Walthamstow side extended their lead. After Finlay Shipp had lost possession of the ball to Ezra Agyiri on the edge of the Aveley penalty area, Ezra Agyiri would take the ball into the penalty area, where his initial effort on goal was saved by Oliver Johnson, before the ball came back to Agyiri, who managed to loop the ball into the goal, 0-3. During the opening stages of the second half, Issa Sidibe showed great technique to volley an effort from the edge of the Aveley penalty area onto their goal, but his effort was saved by Johnson. Soon after that chance, Walthamstow player Ezra Agyiri had won the ball off of Bobby Reeman on the edge of the Aveley box, before hitting a low effort just wide of Oliver Johnson’s left-hand post.

Aveley substitute John Silva would hit a low first time effort wide of the Walthamstow goal, from the edge of their penalty area, before the home side managed to get a late goal back in the game. The goal came from a cross on the left flank, into the centre of the Walthamstow penalty area. It was there that John Silva had controlled the ball before finishing low into the goal, 1-3. Aveley would finish the game well, and a couple of minutes after that goal, substitute Ziad Bakkar would hit an effort wide, on the turn from just inside the Walthamstow box. And the last chance of the game would see Amari Kpodo hit a good effort from a free-kick some 25 yards or so out from goal, wide of the target. In my opinion Walthamstow Reserves were worthy winners on Friday night, as they booked their place in the final of the competition, and as well as playing good football, they also managed the game well. With two goals and a good all-round performance, Walthamstow forward Issa Sidibe (he is one of the top scorers at step 7 this season) was my player of the match. However, there were so many impressive performances from the away side, including those from Ezra Agyiri, Ikenna Okoro, Bilel Benyoucef and George Hellen. I will be at the other semi-final tie of this competition, next Saturday, to find out who Walthamstow Reserves will face in the final.