Non-League and Academy football writer

NW London’s second Thurlow Nunn League First Division South fixture of the 2024/25 season saw them welcome Cannons Wood to Coles Park, a ground which they currently groundshare with Haringey Borough. NW London recorded a 1-1 draw with Barkingside last Friday night, and Cannons Wood lost 5-2 to Basildon Town, on the same night. This match between NW London and Cannons Wood was won 3-2 by the visiting side, in what was a very lively game of non-League football. The game got underway at a good pace, and it was the home team who went on to create the first real goalscoring chance of the game. Following a long pass from Emmanuel Okoko towards the Cannons Wood penalty area, the ball came to NW London centre-forward Damian Tryczynski, inside of the penalty area. He managed to get to the ball before the goalkeeper, and his effort was cleared away brilliantly on the line by Reece White.

Shortly after that early chance for Damian Tryczynski, NW London managed to take an early lead. After Mohammed Al-Nashi had received the ball just inside of the away team’s box, the NW London midfielder finished well from what wasn’t an easy chance, into the bottom left-hand corner of the goal, 1-0. There was a really good pace to the game, at this stage in the first half. NW London goalkeeper Vlad Levchuk did well to stop Herman Mwanza from getting an equalising goal for Cannons Wood, after he got to a lofted pass on the left-hand side of the home team’s box. A couple of minutes later Herman Mwanza received the ball in the same area, but under pressure his effort went wide of the goal. 

NW London’s second goal of the game arrived soon after that effort from Cannons Wood. Damian Tryczynski received the ball on the right-hand side of the Cannons Wood box, before calmly and clinically finding the bottom left-hand corner of the goal, 2-0. The pace that the game continued to be played at was very impressive, and NW London were looking to extend their lead further in the first half. A powerful effort from Emarjay Jones, from the edge of the Cannons Wood penalty area, went over their goal, following a good move from the home side. A couple of minutes later, Bernardo De Quadros had an effort (from the edge of the Cannons Wood penalty area) well pushed away by goalkeeper Dougie Yates. Cannons Wood then went forward up the pitch, with Lewis Rowe hitting an effort wide, from distance.

At this stage of the game NW London were managing the game really well. An ambitious free-kick effort (from the half-way line) hit the roof of the Cannons Wood goal, before Damian Tryczynski received the ball inside of the Cannons Wood box, and his effort on goal was parried away by Dougie Yates. Cannons Wood managed to get a goal back in the match, soon after that chance for NW London. Junior Nkwonta managed to pick out Michael Paton from a low cross to the centre of the NW London penalty area, and Michael Paton’s powerful effort went into the roof of the goal, 2-1. After Cannons Wood centre-forward Gabriel Odili had put the ball just wide of Vlad Levchuk’s right-hand post following a chance from inside of the penalty area, at the other end of the pitch Damian Tryczynski hit an effort wide (inside of the box) from a difficult angle.

Just before half-time Cannons Wood got an equalising goal. Michael Paton’s looping ball into the centre of the NW London box, had found Gabriel Odili, whose looping header went over Vlad Levchuk and into the goal (despite the best efforts on the goal-line by James Allen), 2-2. Early on in the second half Emarjay Jones came inside with the ball from the right flank, before seeing his resulting effort deflect behind, off a defender. In the resulting five or so minutes Cannons Wood captain Reece White had hit a free-kick effort (from distance) into the NW London wall, not long before Cannons Wood were awarded a penalty, following a foul inside of the penalty area. Joe Thomas’ resulting penalty was well taken, as it found the left side of the goal, 2-3. 

A crucial bit of goalkeeping from Vlad Levchuk inside of his penalty area, stopped Gabriel Odili from being able to take the ball around him. And then soon after, at the opposite end of the pitch, a curling free-kick effort (from 20 yards out) from Nathaniel Binney, was pushed away by Yates. NW London were really trying to a get leveller, and that of course did make it difficult at times to defend against Cannons Wood, on the counter. Hugo Javaloyes would have a good headed effort on the Cannons Wood goal, which was pushed behind by Yates. Impressive Cannons Wood substitute Ishmael Saidy would skilfully evade two challenges as he progressed the ball forward, before playing the ball through to Mekhi Armstrong inside of the NW London penalty area, but he was unable to finish.

Some more chances came the way of the home side, but were missed, as we entered the latter stages of the match. An excellent effort from NW London player Methembe Bhebhe would follow, after he had traveled inside with the ball from the left flank, before hitting a brilliant effort from distance against the underside of Yates’ crossbar, before the ball bounced away. There were some appeals from the NW London players, that the ball had crossed the line, but the referee waived play on. The final chance of the game came for Cannons Wood, as Gabriel Odili had an effort (following a long lofted forward pass) inside of the NW London penalty area, which was well saved by Levchuk. This was a really good game of step 6 football, and although it was difficult to pick a player of the match (there were so many contenders) I thought that both sides really showed their quality in the match.

Cannons Wood showed real resilience and they worked really well as a team, to not only get back into the game and then take the lead, but also to defend their lead against a fantastic passing team during the latter stages of the game. NW London played some excellent football once again on Friday, and they’ll be frustrated that they were unable to get something from the game.