Non-League and Academy football writer

In this first round tie of the 2024/25 edition of the Essex Alliance Football League Senior Division Cup, Fairlop Rovers faced inform CSM London, at Parsloes Park Hub, on Tuesday night. Fairlop Rovers are currently in 12th place in the Senior Division standings, with CSM currently in third place in the league table, but with games in hand over the teams ahead of them in the table. CSM London recently beat Fairlop Rovers 7-3, in a third round tie of the Fenton Cup. This well contested step 7 cup-tie would end in a 1-0 win for CSM London. Fairlop would start this game well. A great early pass from Harry Carter (following some good initial holdup play from centre-forward Ellis Morgan) would find Jayden Francis, just inside of the CSM penalty area. Francis’ resulting low effort on goal was saved by the feet of the away team’s goalkeeper, Ryan Thompson. 

Following on from Jayden Francis’ early chance, Fairlop defender Charlie Harper would win the ball in midfield, before taking the ball forward and hitting a low effort on goal (from distance) which was gathered by Thompson. And then a couple of minutes later and following a handball from a CSM player right on the edge of the visitors’ penalty area, Fairlop had a free-kick awarded to them in a promising position. However, Joseph Cloake’s curling effort over the wall was held by Thompson, in the CSM goal. Following that good start from Fairlop, CSM would start to play their football to better effect. And not long after Luke McElroy had volleyed an effort wide of the Fairlop goal from the edge of their penalty area (after a corner-kick had been cleared), Will Brobby’s CSM side would take the lead in the match. After Paul Mendes had got to the loose ball on the left flank, he would make a brilliant Harry Kane-esque low pass across the pitch, in behind the Fairlop defence, to Dylan Flynn, on the opposite flank. Through on goal, Flynn would take the ball into the Fairlop penalty area before confidently finishing into the top left-hand corner of their goal, 0-1.

Fairlop continued to make this game a difficult one for CSM, despite them going 1-0 down in the game. After Sonny Binet had got to a rebound inside of the CSM penalty area, he would hit a low effort on the bounce, wide of the goal from relatively close range. And then a couple of minutes later a good move from the visiting side would follow, ending with Dylan Flynn hitting an effort over from the edge of the Fairlop penalty area. Then soon after that chance, impressive CSM captain Lewis Wallace would hit a decent effort (from 25 yards out) with the ball bouncing, wide of the Fairlop goal, as the chances continued to arrive. However, after Dylan Flynn had hit a low effort on goal from just inside of the Fairlop penalty area, which was gathered by Kufre Inua, Fairlop would go on to create one more chance, during the first half. As Sonny Binet looped an effort just over Ryan Thompson’s goal, from the edge of his penalty area.

Following quite a quiet start to the second half, the first effort of the second half came from Marco Lavadera, who after getting to a short pass inside of the Fairlop box, he would then hit a low effort on goal which was gathered by Kufre Inua. A couple of minutes later and after Lavadera had won the ball before bringing it forward towards the edge of the Fairlop box, he would then hit an effort over the goal. This game became a lot more difficult for Fairlop, who had competed well throughout, after Sebastian Gardiner was shown his second yellow card of the game, not long after, following a foul. Charlie Harper would make a brilliant sliding block inside of the Fairlop penalty area, to stop Dylan Flynn’s effort from going into the goal, soon after play had resumed.

Just before the end of the match, impressive CSM defender Michael Payne, would perform the skill of the match. As after turning skilfully past a defender, from the right flank and into the Fairlop box, he would then continue with the ball across the penalty area. However, he eventually hit a powerful effort on goal, which was well tipped over by Kufre Inua. Just before the referee had sounded his whistle for full-time, Youssef Moumen was sent off by the referee. This was a hard fought win for CSM, and although they didn’t win this game in the style that we have been so used to this season (real credit must go to Fairlop, for that), they were professional and they worked well as a team to get the win, and progress to the quarter-finals.

Dylan Flynn’s well taken goal was the difference between the two sides in this competitive cup-tie on Tuesday. The talented young winger had some fine individual moments on the ball out on the right flank, as well as working hard off the ball. And his goal was finished very confidently and clinically, and he was therefore my player of the match. However, I thought that Paul Mendes had an excellent game for CSM, as well as Michael Payne, in central defence. For Fairlop Rovers, I was impressed with their central defender, Charlie Harper, who I thought defended well throughout. Also, in what was a good team performance from Fairlop Rovers, I thought that their centre-forward Ellis Morgan impressed with his leading of the line, during his time on the pitch, with him also being a contender for Fairlop’s player of the match. Fairlop Rovers can be proud of their performance as a team, tonight.