Non-League and Academy football writer

In what was both club’s first ever senior competitive fixture in the Essex Alliance Football League (on Saturday afternoon), Vallance FC faced Stratford East FC, in an Essex Alliance Football League Premier Division West fixture. This match took place at Ford Sport & Social (Newbury Park), and it was of course both club’s first league fixture of the 2024/25 season. This step 8 match was won 5-3 by the home side, Vallance FC. Stratford East had managed to get the ball into some decent forward areas during the very early stages of this match. However, it was Vallance who would start the game better, scoring two goals early on in the game. Their first goal came from a lofted forward ball in behind the Stratford East defence, in which Brady Landu was able to latch onto. The Vallance centre-forward continued forward with the ball, down the right-hand side of the Stratford East penalty area, before lobbing the ball over the outrushing goalkeeper, as it went into the bottom left-hand corner of the goal, 1-0.

Vallance would get their second goal of the game soon after scoring their first goal. As Abdulkaamil Olagoke’s deflected low effort from the right-hand side of the Stratford East penalty area, was turned home by Brady Landu, in front of the goalkeeper, 2-0. Vallance were looking to extend their lead further after such a good start to the game. Following some good skill from Alador Fitsum on the left flank, the skilful Vallance winger would progress the ball into the away team’s box, before hitting a low effort on goal, which was gathered at his near post by Stratford East goalkeeper, Nathan Blythe. Blythe was called into action again, a couple of minutes later. As a result of some good work from Ibrahim Gakou on the right-hand side of the Stratford East penalty area, the winger would square the ball for Brady Landu, whose low first time effort from close range was well kept out by Blythe.

Shortly after that good chance for Brady Landu, the Vallance centre-forward would get his hat-trick goal. A free-kick delivery from out on the right flank (from Abdulkaamil Olagoke) would bounce inside of the Stratford East box, and it was met by Brady Landu, whose looping header went into the back of the goal, from close range, 3-0. After play had resumed, Vallance substitute Seamus Glancy would find Ibrahim Gakou, down the left-hand side of the Stratford East penalty area, but his resulting effort was pushed behind well by Blythe, at his near post. The game would change quickly however, after the referee had awarded Stratford East a penalty, soon after. The penalty was awarded after Joseph Opoku had managed to get to a long ball inside of the centre of the Vallance box, where he was barged to the ground by the Vallance goalkeeper, Taurian Bruce. Up stepped Jordan-Tulloch Garvey, whose curling effort from the penalty spot would find the bottom left-hand corner of the goal, 3-1.

By this stage in the first half the away side had upper their intensity, and they would soon get their second goal of the afternoon. With Joseph Opoku getting to the ball inside the centre of the Vallance penalty area, before cutting inside with the ball, past a defender, and then calmly finishing low into the goal, 3-2. Just before half-time Vallance would create a great chance, as substitute Mohammad Miah’s low cross (from the right flank) towards the back post of the Stratford East goal, had picked out Seamus Glancy, but his low effort went over the goal. Early on in the second half, Vallance defender Erbolot Kozhogulov’s header from a corner-kick into the Stratford East box, was held by Blythe. And then a couple of minutes later the home side would regain their two goal lead in the match. After a Stratford East defender had tried to get to a Vallance pass and clear it from the right-hand side of the penalty area, Vallance player Mohammad Miah would get to the ball. The skilful Vallance player would then square the ball to Brady Landu, who tapped the ball into the goal, 4-2.

A good overhead kick inside of the Vallance box from Dante Lutalo, would go just wide of the home team’s goal, before Franklin Chinagu would (at the opposite end of the pitch) hit a low effort from inside of the Stratford East box, which was saved and gathered by Nathan Blythe. As the game progressed and became more open, the amount of chances increased, for both sides. After Keenan Rochester had done well to clear Ibrahim Gakou’s effort off the Stratford East goal-line, Stratford East would then go forward with the ball. Joseph Opoku would pass the ball to Andre Brown, down the left-hand side of the Vallance box. Andrew Brown would square the ball for a teammate, whose effort from close range was held by Bruce. The same player would then hit an effort on goal from the edge of the penalty area, which was also gathered by Bruce.

Vallance would make the task of Stratford East getting back into the game that bit more difficult, after Terrence Mensah scored a spectacular goal for the home side. After the Vallance midfielder had picked the ball up on the bounce over 30 yards out from goal, he would hit a powerful and simply superb effort on goal, which found the top left-hand corner of the goal, 5-2. The pace of the game continued to increase during its latter stages. Another goal for Stratford East would follow, and it was a well worked goal. Raymond Ennis passed the ball to Dante Lutalo, on the right-hand side of the Vallance penalty area. Lutalo would then put the ball across the face of the Vallance goal, with Joseph Opoku able to finish from close range, 5-3. Two good and very late efforts from Alador Fitsum, would go narrowly over the Stratford East goal from around 20 yards out, before the referee sounded his whistle for full-time.

This was a good and really entertaining game of football, between two teams who were making their debuts in the Essex Alliance Football League. It will take a bit of time for both sets of players to get to know each other, especially in Stratford East’s case, as they were only recently founded as a club. However, this was a good quality game, between two sides who gave their all, and credit to Stratford East for getting back into the game at 3-0 down, when it looked unlikely that they’d be able to get back into it. With four goals on Saturday afternoon, Brady Landu was my player of the match. The Vallance centre-forward was very clinical in front of goal during his time on the pitch, and he took all of his goals well, and he also lead the line well. Also, the impressive Mohammad Miah and Alador Fitsum, were just some of Vallance’s other influential players, in what was a good team performance from them.

Dante Lutalo, the clinical Joseph Opoku and Andre Brown (he started this game on the bench), were some of the players who were impressive for the away side, Stratford East.