Non-League and Academy football writer

Walthamstow Reserves met Woodford Town Reserves, in an Essex Alliance Football League Senior Division fixture, at Wadham Lodge on Saturday afternoon (my second match of the afternoon). Both side’s opening league fixture of the 2024/25 season, this very competitive match ended in a 0-0 draw. Walthamstow player Bilel Benyoucef was excellent for the club’s reserve side during the previous 2023/24 season, and he would have the first effort on goal of Saturday’s game. After Benyoucef had got to a lofted pass on the right flank, the highly skilful winger would then take the ball into the Woodford Town box. However, his resulting low effort on goal was gathered by the Woodford goalkeeper, Callum McEvoy.

After that first chance of the game for Walthamstow, Woodford Town Reserves would go onto create two good chances, one after the other. After Kian McEvoy had headed an effort wide at the back post of the Walthamstow goal after meeting Jack Barnes’ corner-kick delivery, Woodford centre-forward Phorel Brooke came close to giving the away side the lead. As after getting to the ball on the left-hand side of the Walthamstow penalty area, Phorel Brooke would hit a powerful effort on goal, which was well saved at his near post by Walthamstow goalkeeper Enos Duah. And then following an effort by Walthamstow player Omar Dacas (from the edge of the Woodford box) which went wide of the goal, Phorell Brown would go close once again to giving Woodford the lead. Phorell Brown had went on a surging forward run down the left-hand side of the Walthamstow penalty area, but his effort  was saved well by the legs of Enos Duah.

Woodford Town Reserves were looking to make the most of the set-pieces that were awarded their way. A good free-kick delivery by Jack Barnes (from the left flank) into the Walthamstow box, was met well by Bailey Brown, whose looping header was gathered by Enos Duah. A couple of minute later a good cross-field pass from Jack Barnes, to Bailey Brown on the right side of the Walthamstow box, would result in Bailey Brown having a low effort on goal which was gathered by Enos Duah. Enos Duah had started the game really well in the Walthamstow goal, and he would soon make another save, this time keeping out Phorell Brooke’s header, following a corner-kick into the penalty area.

In space inside of the Walthamstow penalty area, Andre Anderson would meet a well delivered corner-kick by Jack Barnes, but his header towards goal was deflected behind, off a Walthamstow defender. Woodford Town were at this stage of the match, looking more likely to score the opening goal of the game. They would come close to scoring a goal after Jack Barnes had hit a free-kick effort (from distance, on the right-hand side of the pitch), which came off the Walthamstow goalkeeper’s left-hand post. Eny Okoro’s Walthamstow Reserves side would then go forward with the ball, and create a good chance. As Bilel Benyoucef found Kemar Bello, at the near post, inside of the Woodford Town penalty area. However, Bello’s effort on goal was well pushed over his goal Callum McEvoy.

Not long before half-time Woodford Town player Phorell Brown would hit an effort wide of the Walthamstow goal, from the right-hand side of the Walthamstow box. And then the final effort of the first half came from Sam Abou Karroum, who hit an effort over the Woodford Town goal, from distance. Walthamstow Reserves would create the first goalscoring chance of a second half of many chances, for both sides. With Bilel Benyoucef travelling inside from the right flank, into the Woodford penalty area, before seeing his powerful effort on goal be pushed up in the air by Callum McEvoy. However, the league’s top scorer last season, Issa Sidibe, would then get to the ball, but his header went over the crossbar. Enos Duah would make yet another impressive save in the resulting minutes, this time saving an effort with his legs at his near post, from Louie Cooper, inside of the Walthamstow penalty area.

After another decent chance for Woodford during the early stages of the first half, Bilel Benyoucef would go forward with the ball, down the right flank. However, after cutting inside with the ball onto his left foot (on the edge of the Woodford penalty area) he would hit a low effort wide of the goal. Walthamstow had improved in their all-round play during the second half, and they were continuing to create chances. After Issa Sidibe had knocked the ball onto Bilel Benyoucef in behind the Woodford defence, the winger would continue into their penalty area at pace. However, he put the ball wide of the goal, under pressure from a recovering defender. Chances for both sides during this creative second half, were plentiful. 

Remarle Lawrence would hit an effort wide (across goal) from the left side of the Walthamstow box, before Walthamstow substitute Callum Fisher had an effort from distance which was saved by Callum McEvoy. With the second half progressing, both sides continued to go in search of a winner. After Bailey Brown had headed over from a free-kick into the Walthamstow penalty area, Enos Duah would save a low effort from distance, by Arthur Massingham. One of the best chances of the game would follow, for Walthamstow. As through on goal on the left-hand side of the Woodford box, Issa Sidibe would receive Edward Mavakala’s pass, after he had won the ball. However, Sidibe would curl the ball wide of McEvoy’s left-hand post. A flurry of late chances occurred in the game. 

With Walthamstow substitute Arty Benjamin getting to the ball in midfield, he would progress the ball into the Woodford box, before passing the ball to Bilel Benyoucef, who hit the ball over the goal. Late efforts from Andre Anderson and Bilel Benyoucef respectively, both went wide of either side’s goal, before Arthur Massingham’s free-kick effort from the edge of the Walthamstow penalty area, was held by Enos Duah. The final chance of this eventful but goalless game, also came for Woodford Town Reserves, with Kian McEvoy heading an effort over, from Jack Barnes’ corner-kick into the Walthamstow box. Both sides will have been left frustrated that they didn’t put their chances away on the day, and ultimately win the game. However, these two talented reserve sides showed today (in my opinion) that they will do well this season.

Walthamstow Reserves’ goalkeeper Enos Duah was excellent against Woodford Town Reserves, on Saturday afternoon, and he was my player of the match. Not only did he make a number of very good and important saves, he also read the game superbly well. His starting position and anticipation of situations saw him do really well, and he made some very good decisions throughout the game. For Woodford Town Reserves, I thought that their player of the match was their centre-forward Phorell Brooke, who put in an impressive all-round centre-forward’s performance, and he was unlucky not to score a goal. Also, goalkeeper Callum McEvoy, winger Jack Barnes and Kian McEvoy were some of a number of notable performances, in what was a good team performance from the league debutants.