Non-League and Academy football writer

NW London welcomed Newbury Forest to Coles Park on Tuesday night, for a Thurlow Nunn League First Division South fixture. NW London started this game in 13th place in the league table, after 13 league games played. Newbury Forest started this game in 18th place in the league standings, after 11 league matches played. This entertaining step 6 match was won 4-2 by the home side on Tuesday, NW London. During the early stages of the first half, Leo Connolly’s Newbury Forest side came close to taking the lead in the game. With a low cross into the NW London box (from Cesario Mendes), coming to Arthur Wright, whose effort was well saved and closed down by Kian Eyers in the goal. However, the ball would then come to Deivid Sertvietis, on the edge of the penalty area, but his curling effort went just over the goal.

NW London would respond well to those successive chances early on in the game, for the visitors. After Felipe Melgaco had hit a low effort on the Newbury Forest goal (from 30 yards out), which was pushed behind Mayto Sotomayor in the goal, Hugo Javaloyes would then hit a low effort just wide of the goal, from the edge of the penalty area. And then a good move from the home side, who were passing the ball around with pace and purpose, would see Felipe Melgaco hit a low effort wide of Sotomayor’s goal, from just outside of his penalty area. The opening goal of the game would arrive soon after, as Hugo Javaloyes’ low curling free-kick effort, from the edge of the Newbury Forest box, resulted in the goalkeeper being unable to gather the ball. However, NW London’s centre-forward Damian Tryczynski was able to finish from close range, on the follow-up, 1-0.

This was proving to be quite an open game of football, with Newbury Forest showing good character, as they tried to get the scores level. After the impressive Matt Connolly had managed to get to a loose pass, he would then pass the ball to Chaka Barnett, who managed to skilfully get around a defender and just progress the ball into the NW London box. Barnett would then hit his powerful resulting effort wide of Eyers’ goal. Yet, just a couple of minutes after that fine chance, the east London club would draw level. The influential Cesario Mendes would receive the ball on the right-hand side of the home team’s penalty area, before hitting a powerful effort past Eyers, and into the goal, following some good individual skill, 1-1.

Newbury Forest, who after having drawn level in this match were now looking to go ahead. Some fine skill from Matt Connolly and then a good through-ball pass to Arthur Wright, just inside of the NW London box, would result in Wright having a low effort on goal which was well saved by Eyers. However, the ball then came out to  Deivid Sertvietis, whose effort from the edge of the box went wide of the goal. After having got back into the game well, NW London would soon regain their lead. Hugo Javaloyes’ pass to Emmanuel Okoko, just outside of the Newbury Forest box (it was by no means from an easy angle), would result in the defender hitting a brilliant low effort, with pace and power on the ball, into the bottom right-hand corner of the goal, 2-1.

After Kian Eyers had managed to push away Matt Connolly’s powerful effort on goal from the left-hand side of the NW London box, NW London would go forward with the ball, a couple of minutes later. Damian Tryczynski’s pass to Arianit Krasniqi on the left-hand side of the away team’s box, would result in Sotomayor doing well to deflect behind the NW London forward’s low effort on goal. And then just after Felipe Melgaco had ran forward with the ball, into the Newbury Forest box, with the skilful midfielder hitting an effort over the goal, NW London would extend their lead further, just before half-time. After Hugo Javaloyes had managed to get to a loose pass some 20 yards out from goal, Javaloyes looked up and assessed his options, before picking out the run of Arianit Krasniqi, down the right-hand side of the Newbury Forest box. And Arianit Krasniqi would calmly finish into the bottom right-hand corner of the goal, 3-1.

NW London would start the second half in a similar fashion to how they had finished the first half. After Damian Tryczynski had hit a powerful effort on Mayto Sotomayor’s goal (on the turn) from the edge of his penalty area, which was  pushed behind by the goalkeeper, Hugo Javaloyes came very close to scoring what would’ve been a goal of the season contender. As Javaloyes picked up the ball in midfield, before superbly tricking his way past three players from the opposing team, before working his way into the away side’s penalty area, from where his powerful effort on goal was well saved and gathered by Sotomayor. 

The game became more open as the second half progressed. But shortly after Lamine Gomes had hit a good curling effort on the Newbury Forest goal, from the edge of their penalty area, which was well saved by Sotomayor, NW London got an important fourth goal of the game. With Hugo Javaloyes receiving the ball out on the right flank from Lucas Gonzalez, he then skilfully managed to get beyond a defender, before passing the ball back to Gonzalez, who had now reached the away team’s penalty area, and from there he would clinically find the back of the goal despite the best efforts of the goalkeeper, 4-1.

Towards the end of the game there continued to be chances for both sides. However, after Emmanuel Okoko’s whipped free-kick effort from the edge of the Newbury Forest penalty area was parried behind by the goalkeeper, Newbury Forest would score a late goal. As after NW London had lost the ball near their penalty area, Cesario Mendes would manage to get to the ball inside of the box. His initial effort had hit the crossbar, however, on the follow-up and on the bounce he was able to powerfully find the goal, 4-2. Newbury Forest would push to get another goal before the end of the game, but NW London were able to hold onto their 4-2 lead, to get an important win. NW London played some wonderful football, as they always do, and Newbury Forest did make it difficult for them, but NW London’s well taken goals were at crucial moments in the game.

Hugo Javaloyes made a tremendous impression on this game, driving forward with the ball from midfield with great skill and pace. However, the player who was directly involved in three of NW London’s four goals (he provided two assists), really showed his quality throughout this contest, and he was definitely my player of the match on Tuesday.