Non-League and Academy football writer

Saturday saw three Middlesex Premier Division fixtures called off, because of the heavy rain earlier on in the week. This meant that the following games in the Premier Division were called off on Saturday: Kensington Dragons v Jolof Sports, Pitshanger Dynamo v SL Benfica, and Hayes & Hillingdon v Shepherds Bush. However, four Premier Division matches did take place on Saturday afternoon. At the Harrow Weald Recreation Ground, Kodak (Harrow) won 3-0 against Camden United (this was their third league victory in a row). Anthony Gomez, Bliss Simpson, and Kean Graver got Kodak’s goals, in what was also a game that Camden United had a penalty saved in. Not very far away from Kodak’s home ground, Larkspur Rovers would draw 2-2 with Hilltop Reserves, at Lord Halsbury Playing Fields. Darwaish Alamyar and Kian Chauhan got Larkspur’s goals in that game. 

Eagles Land Cricklewood returned to winning ways on Saturday, with a 1-0 win away over London Tigers. Kristo Beshiku (he got the only goal of that game) now has 11 league goals from 12 league appearances this season. Stonewall also returned to winning ways on Saturday, as they got an important 2-1 home win against Camden & Islington United. Cameron McEwan and Matthew Smith got Stonewall’s goals, with the inform Ryan Pickles getting the away side’s only goal of the match. Stonewall have only lost one league game so far this season, and they continue to look like real contenders for the league title. 

At step 8 of the Middlesex League (the Division One East & Central) Alexandra Knights impressively won 3-2 against Apollo London. Alexandra Knights started this game being more effective on the counter. Five minutes into the game, Apollo London would try to build out from the back. However, they would lose possession of the ball as they tried this. Alexandra Knights player Uchenna Valentine Ezeoke would get to the ball after one of the Apollo London central defenders had missed the ball, before taking a touch on his right foot and then powerfully hitting an effort into the top left hand-corner of the goal, 1-0. The remainder of the first half was quite a cagey affair, with not very many efforts on goal, although Apollo London’s only effort on goal (from distance) would hit the woodwork of the Alexandra Knights goal, with the home side defending their goal resiliently, as well as making it difficult for the away side to buildup through midfield.

Alexandra Knights did have a couple of decent chances during this competitive first half, however. Although the second half was a lot more eventful, with Alexandra Knights continuing to do well with their 4-2-2-2 formation, against Apollo London’s 4-3-3 formation. Alexandra Knights would start the second half in a good fashion, scoring two early goals. The first of these two goals started with the home team’s goalkeeper Marko Cancar, the ball was then worked out to an Alexandra Knights player on the left flank, who would then pass the ball across to Filippo Gin, whose initial feint with the ball was followed by an effort which was blocked by a defender, with the ball then coming to Romario Asenso. His powerful outside of the boot effort went into the top corner of the goal, in what was a real contender for the home side’s goal of the season, 2-0. And then around ten minutes later, Alexandra Knights made it 3-0. The goal came about after Apollo London had lost possession of the ball, after playing out from defence. 

For Alexandra Knights’ second goal of the game Romario Asenso got to the ball, before passing it forward to Hamza Ibn El Hadj (he was playing out on the left flank), in behind of the away side’s right-back. Hamza Ibn El Hadj would cross the ball from the left flank, towards Uchenna Valentine Ezeoke, at the back post. The forward would manage to get the ball out of his feet before placing an effort into the goal, on his weaker left foot and beyond the goalkeeper, 3-0. Apollo London would change their formation, after having gone 3-0 down in the game. After that, Apollo London were able to get a goal back in the game following a quickly taken corner-kick towards the back post, and a powerful finish into the goal, 3-1. Alexandra Knights had now changed their formation, defending really deeply, with  Uchenna Valentine Ezeoke providing a good outlet up front. 

Apollo London would manage to get another goal back in the game, quite late on in the game. One of Apollo London’s wingers would pass the ball to their CAM, in space, and from the edge of the Alexandra Knights penalty area he did really well to slot the ball into the bottom right-hand corner of the goal, 3-2. Alexandra Knights would defend superbly well as a team, during the remaining ten to 13 minutes of the game, to pick up a big win against a very good team, in a very technically gifted Apollo London side. Also in the Division One (East & Central), Nabeel Hashim’s FC Wood Green side won 5-1 against Hackney Wick Reserves, to make it two wins from two in the league for the north London side. And in east London, Soccer Stars Fennecs Ascenders won 2-1 away to Stonewall Reserves.

In the Division One (South & West), at Pole Hill Open Spaces, CB Hounslow & Abbots A won 3-0 against Ruislip Town, thanks to goals from Ismael Ehui (he got two goals) and Joshua Morrison-Chase. Also in the South & West Division, Hayes Town beat Feltham 4-1, and Ickenham drew 1-1 with top of the table Harrow United. Finally, from that division, Sporting Duet Academy won 6-1 away to West London Athletic, with the clinical William Puvanesan scoring a hat-trick of goals in that game, meaning that he is now on ten league goals for the season. In the Division One North & West, Bessingby Park Rangers beat FH Whistlers 2-1, at London Marathon Playing Field. However, in the same division, Brent United’s match with Portobello wasn’t completed. 

A thrilling match between Brook House Reserves and Hillside AFC, finished 6-6 on Saturday, also in the South & West Division. On the 3G pitch at Vale Farm, a young Eagles Land Cricklewood XI came very close to getting a point against second placed Bloomsbury, with that game ending 3-2 to the visiting side. And the league leaders, Harrow Bhoys, would keep up their excellent start to the season, with a 4-0 home win against Celtic (1995). In the only Russell Grant Division 2 fixture on Saturday, Wiseman West won 4-3 against Southall Athletic. Now to the cup competitions, and in the third round of the London FA Saturday Junior Cup, unbeaten Middlesex League side Wood Lane, would lose 4-2 to step 7 side Worcester Park, on Saturday. AFC Lewisham Blues, of the Kent County League, beat Soccer Stars Fennecs 6-5, in the same competition. However, FC Marylebone, of step 8 of the Middlesex League, would beat Rotherhithe FC 3-1, with Romario Edwards scoring a hat-trick of goals in that game. Camden & Islington United Reserves would however, lose 2-1 to a very good Imperial Old Boys side.

Brentham FC would impressively win 5-1 against SL Benfica B, in round two of the Jim Rogers President’s Division One Cup, with AFC Southall (the game was tied at 1-1 after 90 minutes) beating Westminster & Kensington 4-3 on penalties, in the third round of this competition. And finally, in the first round of The Eddy Mee Division Two Challenge Cup, Eastcote British Legion won 3-0 away to London Saracens, on Saturday. Next Saturday, my game of the week takes place at the Terrence McMillan Stadium, as Soccer Stars Fennecs host SL Benfica, in a Premier Division fixture.