Non-League and Academy football writer

Philip United faced FC Petrocub London on Friday night at Parsloes Park Hub, in an Essex Alliance Football League Senior Division fixture. Philip United came into this game in great form in the league, starting this game in third place in the league with nine wins from their first 12 league games of this season. FC Petrocub London started this game in tenth place in the league table after 11 league matches played. This competitive step 7 match was won 2-1 by Philip United, who scored a late winning goal against a good and experienced FC Petrocub London side. During the early stages of the game Philip United player Raj Palit would twist and turn his way around a Petrocub defender on the left-hand side of the away team’s penalty area, before passing the ball across, to Caleb Roberts at the goalkeeper’s near post. However, Roberts’ effort on goal was held by Petrocub’s goalkeeper, Vasile Neagu.

Philip United had started the game with a good intensity and after Petrocub player Vasile Spinu had hit an effort wide of the goal (after spotting the Philip United goalkeeper off his line) from the halfway line, the home side would manage to create two chances soon after. As following Martin Ayuk’s deflected effort from distance, which had gone behind for a Philip United corner-kick, a fine lofted, dipping effort from Erick Kenko (from 20 yards out) was well pushed away by the Petrocub goalkeeper. After a bit of a quiet spell in the game regarding chances created, a well structured Petrocub side would start to play their football to good effect. After the impressive Gheorghe Cucos had went on a good forward run with the ball down the right flank, he would then find Ion Bojii, inside of the Philip United penalty area. However, his effort (he was unable to really get the ball out of his feet) at the near post was gathered by Philip United goalkeeper Tochukwu Okolo. 

Soon after having made that earlier save from Ion Bojii’s effort on goal, Tochukwu Okolo would stay on the ball for a bit too long, inside of his penalty area. As Gheorghe Cucos pressed the Philip United goalkeeper really well on his goal-line, and he was unable to clear the ball in time, as the Petrocub player was able to just bundle the ball over the goal-line after having challenged him, 0-1. Philip United would respond well to going 1-0 down however, and after the league’s top scorer this season (John Quissua) had went on a good run down the left flank of the Petrocub half of the pitch, the skilful Philip United player would cut inside with the ball before hitting a low effort just wide or their goal, from the edge of the penalty area. A couple of minutes later the creative John Quissua would work his way around a Petrocub defender on the left flank, before taking the ball into the away team’s penalty area and then squaring the ball for Joshua Wisdom, in the centre of the box. With Wisdom’s quickly taken, deflected effort going into the goal, 1-1.

Just before the referee had sounded his whistle for half-time, Joshua Wisdom would have a headed effort on the Petrocub goal, after meeting John Quissua’s cross into the box, which was held by their goalkeeper. Philip United started the second half of this match in a similar fashion to how they had started the first half. However, Petrocub’s shape and good defensive structure was making it difficult for the home side to create good and effective chances, early on in the first half. However, a good cross from Fernandez Magba into the Petrocub penalty area, saw Joshua Wisdom control and then take the ball down well. However, his low resulting effort on goal just lacked a bit of power, as it was gathered by Vasile Neagu. Then around five minutes after that fine chance for Philip United, Erick Kenko would hit a low effort wide, on the turn, from the edge of the Petrocub penalty area.

Philip United were really pushing for that important second goal of the game, for them, however, Petrocub were doing well in this game, and they were managing the game well also. After Tamas Retyi had hit a low effort on the Petrocub goal, following some good skill on the ball on the left flank, which was gathered by the goalkeeper, the away side would go on to almost get a late winning goal. That chance all came from Gritcan Dumitru receiving the ball on the edge of the Philip United penalty area, before curling a powerful effort towards the goalkeeper’s top left-hand corner. But Tochukwu Okolo made a magnificent reflex save, to somehow push the ball around the post and keep Philip United in with a chance of getting a winner. And Philip United would do exactly that very soon after, as Fernandez Magba managed to evade a challenge on the right flank, before delivering a good cross to the unmarked Joshua Wisdom, at the back post and inside of the Petrocub penalty area. From not very far out, Wisdom powered a header into the goal, as all of the Philip United players rushed to congratulate him.

Very late on in the game Tochukwu Okolo made another fine and important stop, to this time push over Alexei Ciobanu’s effort from around 20 yards out, following some good ball control from the Petrocub player. Credit must go to Petrocub for the way in which they played as a team against a Philip United side who can beat anyone in this league, as they have already demonstrated so far this season. Philip United are a very good side, and despite this not being their very best performance of the season on Friday, they showed some real character to get another win. Philip United winger Joshua Wisdom was my player of the match today for his two goals (including the match winner) and some good work in the final third of the pitch.  However, a special mention must go to Philip United’s goalkeeper Tochukwu Okolo (he has also played outfield this season), who recovered very well from that slight error early on in the game which would lead to Petrocub taking the lead. And he made two really fine stops, at very important moments in the game during the second half.

For FC Petrocub London, I thought that their very skilful and effective winger (and goalscorer) Gheorghe Cucos, was their best player on the night.