Non-League and Academy football writer

Cockfosters FC’s second league match of the new Spartan South Midlands Football  League Premier Division season, was against Crawley Green, on a warm Tuesday evening at Chalk Lane. Cockfosters had lost their opening league fixture of the season 2-0 to Kempston Rovers, on Saturday afternoon. Crawley Green had drawn their opening game of the league season (1-1) against newly promoted side Wormley Rovers. I was in attendance for this step 5 match, which was won 2-0 by the home side, Cockfosters, in what was a competitive game throughout, on Tuesday. The first real chance of the game came for the away team, Crawley Green. A long ball upfield from Crawley Green goalkeeper Zak Green, saw the ball find Harry Peterson on the edge of the Cockfosters penalty area. The Crawley Green player was through on goal, but he was met by the outrushing goalkeeper Charlie Patmore, who managed to partially clear the ball, before Moses Carvalho cleared the ball away from the penalty area.

Not long at all after that decent chance for the away side (in the fifth minute or the game), Gavin Kelsey’s Cockfosters side took the lead. Antonio Michael received Ethan Rookard’s clever pass, which allowed Michael to take the ball into the Crawley Green penalty area, from where he powerfully finished inside of the goalkeeper’s near post, 1-0. The home side were aggressive when they were out of possession, and they were looking to get a second goal of the game. Cockfosters’ captain Matt Thomson had taken a free-kick from the left-hand side of the pitch, which was headed just clear of the goal by a Crawley Green defender. And then a couple of moments later JJ Cruz sent a looping header over Zak Green’s goal, after meeting Matt Thomson’s corner-kick, inside of the penalty area.

A couple of minutes after George Lutaaya, following some good work on the ball, had found Malik Nosike on the edge of the Crawley Green penalty area, with the midfielder having a low effort on goal which was saved by Green, the visiting team were awarded a free-kick in a good position. However, Harry Peterson’s curling effort from over 20 yards out from goal, went over the goal. This competitive contest continued to see chances created by both sides. Following Nicolae Trif’s effort from the edge of the Cockfosters penalty area, which was saved by Charlie Patmore, Marcel Buruiana hit a deflected effort wide of Charlie Patmore’s goal.

Cockfosters would finish the first half well, by creating a number of chances. And after George Lutaaya had hit an effort over the Crawley Green goal, from the edge of their penalty area, a well worked move from the home side followed. Antonio Michael went on a surging forward run down the right flank, before delivering a low cross into the Crawley Green box, which was cleverly flicked on by Ethan Rookard to Moses Carvalho, at the back post. However, he was unable to finish on this occasion, with his effort going wide of the goal. And then just before the referee sounded his whistle for half-time, Cockfosters player Josh Grantham hit a low effort wide of the away team’s goal, from distance. 

The second half got off to a good start for the home team, as less than a minute after Antonio Michael had an effort from the edge of the Crawley Green box, held by Zak Green, Cockfosters doubled their lead in the match. George Lutaaya went on a really fine forward run with the ball down the left, before entering the Crawley Green penalty area and dragging a low effort across the face of the goal. The ball reached Antonio Michael, who was on hand and not picked up at the back post, as he tapped the ball into the goal from close range, 2-0. Crawley Green looked to respond soon after the game had started again, and a good free-kick delivery into the centre of the Cockfosters penalty area, resulted in centre-forward Brandon Carney just being unable to guide the ball into the goal. 

George Lutaaya was always looking to take the ball forward. And the Cockfosters player would come close to setting up what would could well have been the winning goal of the match, when his low cross from the right flank had picked out Ethan Rookard inside the centre of the Crawley Green penalty area. However, Rookard’s first time effort went over Zak Green’s goal. Not long after Crawley Green substitute Ciaran Maher had headed the ball over from the centre of the Cockfosters penalty area, following a free-kick delivery, Crawley Green’s captain Paolo Deritis was sent to the sin-bin, by the referee. Two late chances would follow late on in the game, for the home side. Firstly the impressive JJ Cruz had headed a corner-kick delivery into the Crawley Green box, wide of their goal. And then a couple of minutes later, some good work from George Lutaaya on the right flank, resulted in him finding Ollie Finch, whose effort went across the goal at the back post.

This was a good and competitive match, between two sides who created chances throughout the match. Cockfosters were the more clinical side on the night, and I thought that they deserved to win the game, with them putting in a good team performance. My player of the match on Tuesday was George Lutaaya. However, this was a very difficult call between George Lutaaya and the scorer of both of the goals for Cockfosters, in Antonio Michael, who was also very good. George Lutaaya was one of the most creative players on the pitch, and he was very effective, regardless of which flank he was playing on. Always looking to drive forward with the ball, he showed good and impressive skill on the ball, and as well as providing an assist, the former New Salamis player often caused Crawley Green’s defence problems.