Non-League and Academy football writer

Haringey Borough Under 23s faced Chadwell Heath Spartans on Friday night at Coles Park, in an Essex Alliance Football League Senior Division fixture. Haringey Borough Under 23s won 3-0 against Chadwell Heath Spartans in the reverse fixture, earlier on this season, at Frenford FC. The home side on Friday, Haringey Borough Under 23’s, started this game in fourth place in the league standings, after 12 league matches played. Chadwell Heath Spartans started this game in ninth place in the league standings, after 13 league matches played. Haringey Borough Under 23s would win this match 1-0. It was an even start to this game on Friday, on a very cold night in north London. However, from a lofted Haringey pass, still early on in the game, in behind the Chadwell Heath Spartans’ defence, the ball would bounce to Zayshaun Asamoah, who was able to lob the ball (from just inside of the away team’s penalty area), over the Spartans’ outrushing goalkeeper (Lamar Johnson), with the sprinting Aaron Hunwicks just unable to get to the ball to clear it on the goal-line, as it went into the goal, 1-0.

Chadwell Heath Spartans were very disappointed to have conceded an early goal in the game, having had a solid start to the match. After a free-kick had been awarded to Billy Gipp, on the right flank, the Spartans’ winger would deliver a good ball into the Haringey penalty area, with James Hanly’s difficult resulting headed chance on goal, being gathered by the Haringey goalkeeper, Justin Ismail. The next chance of the game would see the skilful Zayshaun Asamoah do well to take the ball, at pace, down the left-hand side of the Spartans’ penalty area, before crossing the ball to Jack Brysland, on the right-hand side of the penalty area. However, Brysland’s resulting effort was well blocked by the well positioned Tolu Dina. 

An ambitious effort from out on the left flank, by Billy Gipp, would go wide of the Haringey Borough goal, with Justin Ismail rushing back to his goal. And then towards the end of the first half a well worked move from Aaron Hunwicks’ side, would see Enoch Salami pass the ball to Ryan O’Connell, on the edge of the home team’s penalty area. O’Connell would then just loop the ball out to Peter Adeleye (he was substituted on early on in the match, to replace the injured Brandon Johnson) on the right-hand side of the box, but his low effort (under pressure) went wide of the goal. Chadwell Heath Spartans came out for the second half really trying to improve even more, and get an equalising goal against this talented Haringey side. After a free-kick had been awarded to the visiting side (23 yards out from goal), Billy Gipp would elect to take it. But after his initial effort had hit the Haringey wall, the ball came back out to him, with his resulting effort, on the bounce, going over the goal.

Another free-kick which had been awarded to Chadwell Heath Spartans, this time out on the left flank (five minutes later), saw Aaron Hunwicks deliver the ball well, into the Haringey box. The ball was cleared only as far as James Hanly, whose overhead effort from inside of the penalty area, was held by Justin Ismail in the home team’s goal. The Spartans continued to get into good positions, and ultimately create more goalscoring chances. The impressive Peter Adeleye would hit an effort (on the bounce) on the edge of the Haringey penalty area, which was gathered by Justin Ismail, before Aaron Hunwicks created a fine chance for the away side. As after winning the ball inside of Haringey’s half of the pitch, the commanding defender would find the run of Peter Adeleye, just inside of the Haringey box, with a good outside of the boot pass. However, on the stretch, with the outrushing Justin Ismail to beat, Adeleye’s low effort went wide of the goal.

Chadwell Heath Spartans were really pushing to get back into the game, and of course get a goal, and they were looking like they were likely to do that, by this stage of the second half. The hardworking Billy Gipp would hit a powerful dipping effort (from 25 yards out), which went just over Justin Ismail’s goal, before a rare Haringey Borough effort, at the opposite end of the pitch, saw Jorge Castaneda hit a low effort wide of the away team’s goal. It was a matter of minutes after that effort, that a Chadwell Heath Spartans goal, which was scored by Aaron Hunwicks, was ruled out for offside. A free-kick on the right flank, which was delivered well, into the box by Billy Gipp, was met by the run of Aaron Hunwicks, who sent an excellent looping header into the right-hand side of the goal. Aaron Hunwicks and his teammates were absolutely adamant that the goal was not offside. Personally speaking, I didn’t think that Aaron Hunwicks looked offside, but the goal was ultimately not given, despite the appeals of the Chadwell Heath Spartans players. 

Chadwell Heath Spartans kept on pushing for a goal, very late on in the game. An outstanding Cristiano Ronaldo-esque powerful moving effort from Tolu Dina, some 35 yards out, would bounce off of Justin Ismail’s right-hand post, as the visitors once again came very close to getting a goal. That was to be the final effort of the game, for either side, and I think that it’s fair to say that this young Haringey Borough Under 23 side weren’t at their very best on Friday, from their high standards (my Haringey Borough player of the match was Zayshaun Asamoah – that is now three goals for him from two appearances). However, Haringey got all three points, and credit to them for seeing out the game in the second half. However, I thought that Chadwell Heath Spartans were very good in their all-round performance, and also very unfortunate not to have got something out of the game, that their performances deserved.

For my player of the match on Friday, I’ve decided to choose Tolu Dina, who at left-back was very solid defensively on the left-hand side of the pitch, for the home side, and he made some really good decisions. Tolu Dina also came so close to scoring a late equaliser, with a spectacular effort from distance. A special mention to player-manager of the Spartans, Aaron Hunwicks, who defended superbly alongside James Hanly in central defence, and who stepped out really well from defence to win and also distribute the ball impressively. This was a good and entertaining game of football.