Non-League and Academy football writer

I was in attendance for what was a very big league fixture in the Middlesex County Football League Premier Division, between Shepherds Bush FC and PFC Victoria London, on Saturday afternoon. This game at Harefield United’s Preston Park ground was between the first (PFC Victoria London) and second placed (Shepherds Bush) sides in the league, with both sides being separated in the league standings by three points. Having attended the reverse league fixture (Shepherds Bush won that game 1-0) at the Robert Parker Stadium, earlier in the year, this fixture was so big in the context of both side’s season and in their aspirations for promotion to step 6. This match ended in a thrilling 2-2 draw. Despite PFC Victoria London creating the first real chance of the game, with Oskar Dari having a low effort from the edge of the home team’s box, saved by Shepherds Bush goalkeeper Kevin Rrushi, it was the home side who had started the game better. And shortly after Shepherds Bush player-manager Aaron Morgan had a free-kick effort blocked by the PFC Victoria wall, Shepherds Bush took the lead in the game. The opening goal of the game came from a cross into the centre of the PFC Victoria box by Orin Fredericks, to centre-forward Mohammed Belamouadden, whose powerful headed effort went into the bottom left-hand corner of the goal, 1-0.

Following a curling effort from the edge of the Shepherds Bush penalty area from Oskar Dari, which went wide of the goal, Shepherds Bush came close to doubling their lead. Mohammed Belamouadden cleverly chested a lofted pass down to Orin Fredericks on the right side of the PFC Victoria box, before Fredericks hit an effort just wide of goalkeeper Milan Czerwonka’s goal. However, the hosts managed to get their second goal of the game soon after, as a good team move resulted in  Belamouadden flicking the ball onto Orin Fredericks, in behind the PFC Victoria defence. Fredericks finished beyond the outrushing Milan Czerwonka, inside his penalty area, and into the goal, 2-0. Soon after making it 2-0, Shepherds Bush came quite close to all but winning the game, with Saeed Darankai receiving Mohammed Belamouadden’s pass on the right-hand side of the PFC Victoria box, before skilfully twisting and turning with the ball, but Milan Czerwonka did well to gather the ball from his feet, in time. Two chances for PFC Victoria London’s number nine followed, with Arkadiusz Wilk firstly having a powerful effort from the right side of the Shepherds Bush box, which was well pushed behind by Kevin Rrushi. And then a couple of moments later, Arkadiusz Wilk headed the resulting corner kick over the goal, at the near post. 

It had been a great first half for Shepherds Bush, and shortly before the end of the first half, Aaron Morgan hit a powerful effort on Milan Czerwonka’s goal from inside the PFC Victoria box, which was well saved by the goalkeeper. There was very nearly a PFC Victoria London goal in the moments before the referee sounded his whistle for half-time, however, with Kamil Zielinski connecting with a good cross into the centre of the Shepherds Bush penalty area, but Zielinski was unable to generate any real power from his effort, which Kevin Rrushi saved comfortably. Oskar Dari got the first goal attempt of the second half, with his effort from 20 yards out from the Shepherds Bush goal, being saved by Kevin Rrushi. The impressive and influential Orin Fredericks would then have a low effort from the edge of the PFC Victoria goal saved by Milan Czerwonka, before PFC Victoria London’s chances of getting anything from the game became even less likely, when Jakub Matwiejszyn had been sent to the sin bin by the referee. Shepherds Bush tried to make the most of having an extra player on the pitch, with Orin Fredericks hitting an effort from close range, following a pass into the PFC Victoria box, over their goal. However, a couple of minutes later PFC Victoria managed to get a goal back in the game.

PFC Victoria London’s first goal of the game came as a result of a good low, whipped cross towards the back post of the Shepherds Bush goal, from Oskar Dari on the right flank. Dari’s cross was met by Natan Zolnierek, whose powerful and impressive first time finish went into the roof of the goal, 2-1. It had become a much more open game of football, following that goal. After Orin Fredericks had managed to get to the ball on the edge of the PFC Victoria box, he took the ball into the penalty area before hitting a good effort on goal, which was well pushed behind by Milan Czerwonka. Milan Czerwonka would then comfortably save Calvin Harrison’s headed effort on goal, from the resulting corner kick. PFC Victoria had definitely improved during the second half of the game, and their chances of getting something from the game would improve after Shepherds Bush had a player sent to the sin bin. However, this fantastic game of football had another twist, when Shepherds Bush were awarded a penalty kick, following a slide tackle (foul) inside the PFC Victoria penalty area, following a good Shepherds Bush passing move. The impressive Mohammed Belamouadden would step up to take the resulting corner kick, but Milan Czerwonka managed to get down to his left to make a big save to push the Shepherds Bush player’s powerful effort away from goal.

PFC Victoria London were now looking quite likely to get that all important next goal of the game, following the penalty save. Kamil Zielinski had a decent low effort on goal from the edge of the Shepherds Bush penalty area, saved and then gathered by Kevin Rrushi. Orin Fredericks would then have a good effort from the right-hand side of the PFC Victoria box, saved by Czerwonka, a couple of minutes before PFC Victoria got a very important equalising goal, in the 90th minute of the game. A long free-kick found its way to Kamil Zielinski inside the Shepherds Bush penalty area. Zielinski headed an effort past the goalkeeper and onto the crossbar, with the ball falling to the onrushing Rafal Al-Swaiti, who managed to make sure that the ball was over the goal-line from close range, 2-2. Soon after the game had resumed, Oskar Dari had managed to latch onto Kevin Rrushi’s pass, with the goalkeeper outside of his penalty area. However, Dari, who was on the edge of the box, would curl a low effort from a difficult angle, just wide of the goal. The game wouldn’t slow down as it came towards an end, with both sides looking for a late winner. After some good holdup play from Aaron Morgan (he had subbed himself back onto the pitch late on), he passed the ball to Jordan Grey on the left side of the PFC Victoria box, but his powerful low effort went just wide of the target, as it went across Czerwonka’s goal.

The last chance of the game came the way of Shepherds Bush, with Aaron Morgan looping a cross into the centre of the PFC Victoria box, as Jawad Ziani’s headed effort was saved by the PFC Victoria goalkeeper. This was a fantastic and highly competitive game of football between two of some of the very best sides in step 7 non-League football this season. Shepherds Bush will definitely be very disappointed to have let a two goal lead slip, but PFC Victoria London’s never give up mentality helped them to get what could prove to be a crucial point for them, as they look to win the league. However, the race for this season’s league title certainly isn’t over! My player of the match on Saturday was Shepherds Bush’s very impressive forward Orin Fredericks, who with a goal and an assist to his name, as well as some great skill and inventiveness with the ball, was in my opinion the most influential player on the pitch. However, it was a close call, with Mohammed Belamouadden also getting a goal and an assist, and he did some really good work as the centre-forward. For PFC Victoria London, goalkeeper Milan Czerwonka had another fine game, following on from their game which I covered in midweek with Pitshanger Dynamo. However, Oskar Dari and Kamil Zielinski were just some of the PFC Victoria players who also impressed me on the day.