Non-League and Academy football writer

In the following piece, I will be looking back at some of the standout games of non-League football that I watched during the 2023/24 season. Below are six games of non-League football that really standout to me, for their quality.

Chatham Town 2-2 Carshalton Athletic: This step 3 non-League match between Chatham Town and Carshalton Athletic (in the Isthmian League Premier Division) was superb, for the entirety of the match. A game which will be remembered well by Chatham Town supporters, for Jack Evans’ outstanding opening goal of the match (it was a superb effort on the half-volley, from distance, with the Carshalton goalkeeper slightly off his goal-line). However, for more than 90 minutes both sides showed their quality on the ball, really going for the win, right until the very end. Some of the football that was played (I thought that Carshalton Athletic were the better side, overall, on the day) was very impressive.

Following Jack Evans’ wonderful goal, fairly early on in the match, Carshalton improved in their all-round play, playing some great and very effective fast passing football. The impressive Oluwabunmi Babajide (he impressed me on every occasion that I saw him last season) would score an equaliser from the penalty spot, before Lexus Beeden gave Peter Adeniyi’s side the lead, before the break. A fast paced second half would follow, with Chatham Town player Ashley Nzala scoring a late equalising goal for the home side, to cap off a wonderful game of football.

Cockfosters FC 2-3 Charlton Athletic Under 21’s: This first round tie of the 2023/24 edition of The London Senior Cup between step 5 side Cockfosters FC and Charlton Athletic’s Under 21 side, proved to be a great game of football at Chalk Lane. Ending in a narrow 3-2 victory for Charlton Athletic, it was the home side, Cockfosters, who started the game the stronger of the two sides. Chris Griffin gave Cockfosters the lead during the first half of the match, before Patrick Casey would head the ball into the home team’s goal past the excellent Charlie Mann, to get a levelling goal early on in the second half. 

A further goal from Patrick Casey, later on in the second half, and then a goal from Jacob Roddy, made it look as though Charlton Athletic would win the game comfortably. However, Cockfosters manager Gavin Kelsey’s side would show great determination and hard work, to get back into the game, with George Lutaaya getting the home side a deserved late goal. And had the match gone on for much longer, then I really think that Cockfosters would have got an equalising goal, and taken the game to penalties against the eventual winners of the competition, such was their fine finish to the game. What a great cup tie this was, and what great passion was shown throughout the match, from both sets of players.

FC Romania 5-3 London Lions: FC Romania and London Lions, of the Spartan South Midlands Football League Premier Division, were involved in what must have been one of the best league games of last season, in this step 5 league, in February. FC Romania started this game well, at Theobalds Lane, with Tomas Mendes scoring an early goal in the match. However, Austin Lipman would get an equalising goal (from the penalty spot), before two more goals from London Lions before half-time, would see them lead 3-1 at the half-time break. Both very good sides in this league, it was FC Romania who started the second half of the match really well.

Three more goals from Tomas Mendes, and one from German Petrov, would see FC Romania, a side who only just missed out on promotion to step 4 for next season, show great team spirit, to win the match 5-3. However, it was the way in which FC Romania approached the second half of this match, and also the quality of their passing football, which made this game really standout to me, as I look back at the many games that I attended during the 2023/24 season. Apart from Tomas Mendes’ excellent performance during that game, the performance of former Spurs academy player Zenon Stylianides, was also very good and influential.

FC Irish of London 7-0 Celtic FC (1995): This step 8 match between FC Irish of London and Celtic FC (1995), was yet another terrific game of football. FC Irish of London needed to win this Middlesex County Football League Division One North & West fixture (it was both sides’ final fixture of the season) by six clear goals, in order to win the league title. Having won their previous league fixture 18-0, FC Irish of London went into this game in good confidence, against the third place side in the league. And although they had mainly dominated the ball during the first half of the match, it took them until fairly late on in the first half, to take the lead in the game. However, three goals before half-time (during the latter stages of the first half), would give them a good chance of winning the league, going into the second half.

An excellent second half performance from FC Irish of London, on a warm day in Bushey, would result in the home side getting a further four goals, to clinch the league title in real style. In possession of the ball, FC Irish of London were excellent, but their tenacity and hard work off the ball, was just an impressive. A side who I think would do well at step 7, next season, regardless of which league that they play their football in next season, that warm and sunny day in May, in which they clinched the league title, will standout in the memories of the players for a long time. FC Irish of London’s top scorer last season (Conor Farrell) got four goals, in that game against Celtic.

Walthamstow Reserves 2-1 FC Baresi: The final of last season’s Essex Alliance League Senior Division Cup, was one which really highlighted the quality of this excellent step 7 league. Eny Okoro’s Walthamstow Reserves side won this match 2-1, at the home of League One side Leyton Orient FC, against the league champions. Started at a great pace by Walthamstow Reserves, the home side would take the lead through Issa Sidibe, before a goal directly from a corner-kick, from Marvin Hamilton, would draw FC Baresi level, before Matthew McDowell restored Walthamstow’s lead, before half-time. There were to be no further goals during the second half of the match, but the pace in which the whole game was played at, was so impressive.

The football in which Walthamstow Reserves played throughout the game, was superb, and there were also some very good performances from the league champions, as well. However, Walthamstow Reserves deserved to win the final, for their excellent team performance.

Shepherds Bush FC 2-2 PFC Victoria London: Looking back at this Middlesex County Football League Premier Division game, in the context of both sides’ seasons, it was a very big game, and one which would ultimately help PFC Victoria London win promotion to step 6, for next season. However, this step 7 league fixture was a game which was contested with great passion, and which also saw some great football being played during the match. Two first half goals for Shepherds Bush would see them lead 2-0, going into the second half. It looked as though PFC Victoria London wouldn’t be able to get back into the game, such was the home team’s control of the game.

PFC Victoria London were vastly improved during the second half of the match, though, with Rafal Al-Swaiti scoring a late equaliser, to make the game 2-2. This point for a very determined PFC Victoria London, was essentially the difference between the two sides in the promotion race, this season. However, the quality of that game on a Saturday afternoon at Preston Park in April, was really good, and it was a really good and memorable game to report on.