Non-League and Academy football writer

On Saturday afternoon over at Chiswick (at King’s House Sports Ground) I was in attendance at Civil Service’s home Southern Amateur League (Senior Division One) fixture with Actonians Association. Civil Service started this league fixture in third place in the league standings, after five league matches played. Actonians Association started this game in seventh place in the table, after four league matches played. This competitive game would finish 1-1. Played at a good early tempo and intensity, the first chance of the game was created by the home side, Civil Service. As Josh Valentin showed some good skill on the right flank (on the edge of the Actonians penalty area), before working the space to deliver a cross towards the back post. However, Jake Holt’s resulting headed effort on goal was gathered by the Actonians goalkeeper, Ryan Toale. 

After Reece Gairy had hit a powerful effort wide of the home team’s goal, from the edge of their penalty area, there was a bit of a pause in terms of notable goalscoring chances, for either side. However, there was some good football being played by both sides, in this competitive game of football. After a free-kick which had been awarded to Civil Service on the right flank, Jonny Moore would step up to take it. His delivery towards the back post, inside of the Actonians penalty area, was met by Dom McCarthy, whose headed effort went wide of the goal. Jake Holt would then volley an effort wide of the Actonians goal, after meeting Jono Malone’s cross at the back post, in a bit of space. 

This game was very competitive, between two well structured and well organised sides. However, after Dan Clements had done well to win a free-kick right on the edge of the home team’s penalty area, before then seeing his resulting effort hit the wall, Civil Service would finish the first half the stronger of the two sides, in my opinion. A good run down the left flank by Civil Service player Jake Holt, would see him cross the ball into the centre of the Actonians penalty area, where he found Chris Jones, who managed to get in front of a defender and then volley a low effort wide of the goal. Civil Service’s centre-forward Josh Valentin had been impressing during the first half of the match. After showing some good ball control on the edge of the Actonians penalty area, Valentin would shift the ball out to Jake Holt on the left flank, just outside of the box. Holt would linkup with Valentin once again, this time finding him at the near post of the goal, but Valentin’s effort on the volley came off the goalkeeper’s right-hand post. That was the final chance of a fairly quiet first half in terms of chances created (Actonians did also have a goal that was ruled out for offside during the midway point of the first half).

Early on in the second half Actonians player Reece Gairy received a pass right on the edge of the Civil Service penalty area, before taking the ball across, into the box. His resulting whipped effort went just wide of goalkeeper Reuben Bull’s left-hand post. A couple of minutes after that chance, a Civil Service player would head an effort over the Actonians goal from inside of their box, before Actonians went forward with the ball. Ashley Andrew passed the ball to Jacob Pitsalis, who took the ball from the right flank into the Civil Service penalty area. However, off balance, Jacob Pitsalis’ effort on his left foot went wide of Reuben Bull’s goal. Shortly after that chance for the visiting team, their goalkeeper (Ryan Toale) had to be replaced in goal after sustaining an injury, by outfield player and captain Scott Ensom.

Following that injury to the Actonians goalkeeper, there weren’t many real goalscoring chances by this stage of the second half. However, things would liven up towards the end of the game. Actonians would score a late goal to open the scoring, as after the impressive Jacob Pitsalis had got to the ball on the right flank (close to the Civil Service box), he would take the ball into the penalty area. Under pressure from a number of defenders, he managed to get an effort away on goal, with his low effort being saved by the legs of Reuben Bull. However, on the follow-up Joe Hayward was inside the box to clinically finish low into the goal, 0-1.

Civil Service would try to respond during the latter stages of the game. A good passing move from the home side would see Chris Jones pass the ball to Luke Redman, whose fine through-ball pass set Joe Henley through on goal inside of the Actonians penalty area. However, after rushing out of his goal, Scott Ensom made a great stop to push Henley’s effort away from his goal. After having caught the home side on the counter during the final minutes of the game, Pete Eguae’s clever flicked pass onto Reece Gairy down the left flank, saw the Actonians forward surge forward with the ball into the Civil Service penalty area. Reece Gairy’s effort however, was saved well by Reuben Bull, with the ball having bobbled up just as he was about to hit the ball.

There was to be late drama in this fine game of amateur football. As Civil Service would maintain their unbeaten start to the season by getting a very late equalising goal in the game. Jonny Moore’s cross from the right flank, to Joe Henley in the centre of the box, was actually a little bit behind him. However, Henley did ever so well to adjust and generate power on the header, as the ball dipped in off the crossbar and crossed the line, prompting celebrations from the Civil Service players late on, 1-1. This was a good game to report on between two sides who played well as a team, and who played good football, as well as defending their goals very well. 

There was a number of contenders for my player of the match award from this game. As I mentioned previously, both defences were very good and well organised throughout. Also, I thought that Actonians players Reece Gairy and Jacob Pitsalis were just some of the Actonians players who had fine games in the forward areas of the pitch, with Ashley Andrew doing some fine work in the central areas of the pitch, along with Scott Ensom, before he went in goal. And for Civil Service, their goalscorer Joe Henley impressed, as did their centre-forward Josh Valentin, but once again, it was two good team performances, something that I want to really highlight from this game. However, my player of the match was Civil Service’s right-back Jono Malone, who I thought really epitomised the strong defending and tenacity from the home side. He read the game well and he used his experience to good effect.

Finally, it was great to interview Civil Service’s club president James Kellett (for my blog) before the game, and I’d liked to thank James and Civil Service FC for the warm welcome to their home ground. I’ll definitely get to some more of their games during this season.