Non-League and Academy football writer

After losing 5-1 at home to Philip United in their previous league fixture, CSM London were looking to return to winning ways, when they faced Fairlop Rovers, in an Essex Alliance Football League Senior Division fixture, at Parsloes Park Hub (on Friday night). Title challengers CSM London, started this league fixture in third place in the league standings (after 15 matches played). Fairlop Rovers, a team who recently narrowly lost to CSM in the Senior Division Cup, started this match in 13th place in the league standings, after 13 league matches played. This match would finish 2-2, with Fairlop Rovers scoring an equaliser from the penalty spot, from what was pretty much the last kick of the game, and deep into second half additional time. After a fairly well balanced start to this match on a cold night in east London, it was Fairlop who had the first attempt on goal of the game. As CSM goalkeeper Ryan Thompson did well to adjust and gather a powerful effort on his goal, from distance.

CSM’s first goal attempt of the game would arrive quite soon after that decent effort from distance, from Fairlop. Jesse Jones would receive a pass on the right-hand side of the Fairlop penalty area, before hitting a powerful effort across the face of Kufre Inua’s goal. In the 11th minute of the game Fairlop Rovers took the lead. It came from a a nice move, as Jack Kibblewhite’s clever lofted ball from the edge of the CSM penalty area, would find the run of Jayden Francis, inside the penalty and in behind a defender. And Francis would clinically finish past Thompson and into the goal, 0-1. A first time effort from 25 yards out by CSM player Wahid Aziz, would go wide of the Fairlop goal, before CSM drew level on 25 minutes. Conrad Doggett’s fine long pass found the run of Luke McElroy, in behind the Fairlop defence and just inside of their penalty area. With McElroy finishing well into the goal, past the outrushing goalkeeper, 1-1.

Fairlop Rovers would finish the second half well. After William Sandell had hit an effort wide of the CSM goal from distance, Fairlop came very close to retaking the lead. Harry Carter’s low cross from the right flank was partially cleared by a CSM defender in the centre of the penalty area, with Jack Kibblewhite quickly getting to the loose ball and hitting a low effort against the bottom of the goalkeeper’s right-hand post. Shortly before half-time, Harry Carter would cut inside with the ball from the right flank and across the CSM penalty area, before hitting a low effort wide of Thompson’s goal. Early on in the second half, Fairlop defender Charlie Harper would drive forward with the ball through midfield, before hitting a low effort wide from distance. Following some nice ball control from Dylan Flynn on the right-flank, Flynn would play a pass across to Luke McElroy, on the right-hand side of the Fairlop penalty area. McElroy did really well to evade some Fairlop defenders with some quick feet, before cleverly tucking the ball into the bottom left-hand corner of the goal (on 58 minutes), 2-1.

A brilliant reflex save from Ryan Thompson, to push behind an effort from inside of his penalty area by Jayden Francis, would follow, soon after the game had restarted. Both sides were keeping a good shape, but both sides were also pushing their full-backs high up the pitch. After Ibrahim Sidibe had shown some good skill with the ball to progress it forward, he would then hit an effort wide of the Fairlop goal, from 25 yards out. And soon after that effort, Sidibe would get to a good pass on the left-hand side of the Fairlop penalty area, before hitting an effort against the goalkeeper’s right-hand post, before a defender was able to clear the ball away from the penalty area. 

Fairlop Rovers would continue to push for a late equaliser as the second half progressed. However, after Jack Kibblewhite had spotted Thompson slightly off his goal-line, and subsequently had an effort from distance which was gathered by the CSM goalkeeper, CSM player Paul Mendes would then hit a low effort wide of Fairlop’s goal (from 20 yards out), at the opposite end of the pitch. There was to be very late drama in this well contested game of football, with Fairlop Rovers being awarded a penalty well into second half stoppage time, following a tug on a Fairlop player by Conrad Doggett, after a corner-kick delivery into the CSM box. Up stepped Jack Kibblewhite, who with the last kick of the game, would clinically tuck the ball into the bottom right-hand corner of the goal, 2-2.

This was a very competitive game of football. Fairlop Rovers kept a really good defensive shape throughout this contest, with both of CSM’s goals starting from long passes up the pitch. However, CSM will be very disappointed with how the game played out during its latter stages, as they really tried to see out the end of the game. My player of the match on Friday was Fairlop Rovers’ captain Ellis Simmonds, whose leadership and communication skills from the left-hand side of defence were impressive, as was his aggressive and all-action defending. Simmonds also brought the ball out well from defence on occasions. Jack Kibblewhite also impressed throughout, getting a goal and an assist. For CSM, their player of the match was Luke McElroy, who got both of their goals, including an excellently taken second goal. CSM London will look to return to winning ways after the break, with Fairlop now looking to build on a really good away point on Friday.