Non-League and Academy football writer

I was in attendance for this Spartan South Midlands Football League Premier Division fixture between Wormley Rovers and Cockfosters, on Tuesday night. The game, which was held at Wormley’s home ground at Wormley Playing Fields, was between two sides who went into this league fixture in really good form. Newly promoted to step 5, Wormley Rovers started this match in third place in the league, after nine league matches played. Cockfosters started this match in fifth place in the league standings, after eight league matches played. It was the away side, Cockfosters, who won this game 1-0. Cockfosters started the game well, and after the away side’s captain Matt Thomson had hit a free-kick effort wide of the Wormley goal (from 25 yards out), the visitors took an early lead. After Cockfosters had done well with their pressing, and as a result of that had won the ball inside the final third, Malik Nosike would get to the ball on the edge of the Wormley penalty area. He would quickly pass the ball to Cory Ugbomah, on the left-hand side of the box, from where his low effort went past the goalkeeper and went into the goal, 0-1.

Cockfosters had started this game well, and they were really working hard off the ball. However, after Ethan Rookard had hit a powerful effort over from the right-hand side of the Wormley box, the home side would create their first chance of the game, soon after. As Reece Barrett (he was in a bit of space) met George Beattie’s lofted ball into the centre of the Cockfosters penalty area, but his headed effort on goal was held by Charlie Patmore, in the Cockfosters goal. Soon after that decent chance for Wormley, Gavin Kelsey’s Cockfosters side continued to manage their lead well. After Matt Thomson had hit an effort (from the edge of the Wormley box) which had taken a deflection off a defender, which was gathered by Carlos Simeon, Wormley would go forward with the ball, working the ball into a good position.

Following a good passing move from the home side, Reece Barrett would hit an effort over Charlie Patmore’s goal from the right-hand side of the away side’s penalty area. And then at the other end of the pitch, just before half-time, Carlos Simeon held an effort on goal, from some 20 yards out. The first chance of the second half arrvied from a corner-kick for the away side. As Ethan Rookard nodded Ryan Hayes’ delivery to the back post of the Wormley goal, wide. A fine whipped effort from Reece Barrett, from around 20 yards out, would hit the top of Charlie Patmore’s goal, before Antonio Michael (at the opposite end of the pitch, hit a low effort on goal from distance, which was gathered by Simeon. 

Cockfosters were defending their lead very well, and they were really disrupting the creative rhythm of the home side. An excellent sliding challenge from Wormley captain Louis Offer, on Cory Ugbomah (inside of the Wormley box) stopped an almost certain goal for the away side. And then a couple of minutes later, Cory Ugbomah had a low effort, from the left-hand side of the Wormley box, which was saved by Simeon. Cockfosters would continue to defend their goal really well, during the remaining minutes of the game, to get an important win over another really good side, in Wormley Rovers. My player of the match on Tuesday, was the match winner, Cory Ugbomah. During his time on the pitch (he unfortunately had to be substituted off late on, because of injury) the player who played on the left flank as a winger, worked so hard, and he had a really good balance to his game. He was direct with the ball, and apart from his well taken goal he also got into some good forward areas during the second half of the game.

The whole Cockfosters defence was very professional and effective in how they defended their goal against Wormley, and they also defended set-pieces very well. Finally, a mention for Malik Nosike (he provided the assist for the only goal of the game), who I thought had a really good game in midfield for the away side.