Non-League and Academy football writer

On Saturday the 25th of January, in the Premier Division of the Middlesex County Football League, five matches took place. Starting with the Camden Derby, as Camden & Islington United won their home league fixture (at Market Road) against Camden United, 2-1, despite the game being abandoned very late on. Karl Usher-Williams got both of Camden & Islington’s goals. Over at Vale Farm, in Wembley, Eagles Land Cricklewood recorded a 4-1 home win over Larkspur Rovers, courtesy of two goals from the inform Kristo Beshiku, and one goal each from Terryl Harding-Nathan (he now has three goals from his last three appearances for Eagles Land Cricklewood), and Klevis Zyko. That win for Eagles Land Cricklewood takes them up to third place in the Premier Division table, after 19 league matches played.

Also in the Premier Division, and over at West Ham Memorial Ground, Jolof Sports won 5-4 against Hilltop Reserves. For the visiting team, a hat-trick of goals from Nadeer Khassay, means that he has now scored 11 league goals so far this season. For Jolof Sports, they are now in second place in the league table. At London Tigers Sports Complex, the visiting side on Saturday afternoon, Kodak (Harrow), won 3-0, as they returned to winning ways. For Kodak, Romario Godfrey-Brown, Zachary Goddard, and Endrit Feka, got their goals on the day. Finally from the Premier Division, Pitshanger Dynamo recorded another important win, as they won 2-0 at home to Kensington Dragons, at the weekend. Mohamad Sabi Tabaneh and Zico Macauley got Pitshanger’s goals.

At step 8 of the Middlesex League, in the Division One (East & Central), Apollo London recorded a 3-1 home win over Stonewall Reserves. And at Regents Park, Camden & Islington United Reserves would draw 2-2 with Alexandra Knights. The visiting side on Saturday, Alexandra Knights, lined-up for this game in a 4-3-3 formation, with the home side lining up in a 5-3-2 formation. Camden & Islington would take an early lead in this match, with this goal coming from a corner-kick. An in-swinging corner-kick from Alexandra Knights’ right-hand side, into the penalty area, saw a header cleared off the line, before an incoming Camden & Islington player managed to score on the follow-up, courtesy of a powerful effort into the goal, 1-0.

Despite the home side taking the lead less than five minutes into this game, Alexandra Knights started to take more control of the game. The equalising goal of the game for Alexandra Knights, came as a result of Camden & Islington playing out from defence, with one of their midfielders turning with the ball, into Alexandra Knights player Filippo Gin, who managed to anticipate the play. The ball would land in between both players, but it was Romario Asenso who stepped in to the ball, to take it forward in his stride, and into the Camden & Islington penalty area. Romario Asenso would then slot the ball to the goalkeeper’s right, low into the goal, 1-1. Following that equalising goal the game became more even again, but Alexandra Knights would take the lead for the first time in the game, before half-time.

A forward pass from Alexandra Knights player Nathan Addison-Pessoa, following a turn with the ball, would see the ball go straight down the middle of the pitch. Both Tyrique Charles and Filippo Gin were in the area where the ball had been passed towards, but both players weren’t really tracked by the defence. Filippo Gin would control the ball, though it had bobbled up at the same time, with the goalkeeper starting to run out of his goal, to meet the ball. However, Filippo Gin would then lob the ball over the goalkeeper, and into the goal, 1-2. Both sides would start the second half in similar formations, although Alexandra Knights would make some adjustments tactically, as Filippo Gin moved over from the right flank, to the striker position, alongside Tyrique Charles, with Romario Asenso now moving over to essentially mark Camden & Islington’s left winger, who had done really well, getting forward during the first half of the game. 

Camden & Islington started to improve again during the second half, and they were now trying more efforts on the Alexandra Knights goal, from distance. However, the home side would manage to draw level in this game, after a Camden & Islington player would anticipate a pass out from defence by Alexandra Knights, into midfield. With a slight bit of fortune, the player would manage to take the ball past an outrushing defender, which gave him a yard before he hit an excellent and powerful effort into the goalkeeper’s top left-hand corner, 2-2. For the final 15 minutes of this match, Alexandra Knights would work very hard, defending a lot inside of their half of the pitch, but a draw in the end, was most likely a fair result, in what was quite a cagey game of football. Nathan Addison-Pessoa (he also provided an important assist, to make it 2-1), on his debut for Alexandra Knights, would have a superb game in central-defence, alongside experienced defender Johan Ahipeaud. Also, Alexandra Knights’ right-back Darren Chow would defend really well against Camden & Islington’s left winger, throughout this match, in what was a good team performance.

Also in the Division One East & Central, at Hackney Marshes, Hackney Wick Reserves drew 2-2 with Soccer Stars Fennecs Ascenders. And at Ark Burlington Danes Academy, league leaders LBS Lions continued their unbeaten record, with an important 4-1 win over Westminster & Kensington (you can read my match report from that game, here – https://nonleagueandacademyfootballwriter.co.uk/2025/01/25/lbs-lions-fc-4-1-westminster-kensington-fc-my-match-report-from-ark-burlington-danes-academy/). Now to the Division South & West, and CB Hounslow & Abbots A recorded a 2-2 home draw with Feltham, at Pole Hill Open Spaces. And title challengers Harrow United would get another important three points, as they won 4-1 at home to SL Benfica B, on Saturday. And at University of Westminster Sports Ground, Ickenham would record an impressive 5-1 away win over West London Athletic. Matthew Dent would score a hat-trick of goals for Ickenham, in that game.

In Division One North & West, I keep on writing about how Wood Lane really could win promotion to the Premier Division of the Middlesex League, for next season. And their 5-3 away win over Celtic (1995) at the weekend (Mohamed-Amin Astan, a brace of goals from Yusuf Khalaf, and goals from Abdirizak Sheikh and Abdisalam Yusuf, helped Wood Lane to the win), made it seven wins from eight in the league for them, so far this season, as they continue to look like real contenders for the league title. The only other game taking place in the Division One North & West, saw FH Whistlers record a really good 4-2 away win over Harrow Bhoys, at the weekend. Two goals from Leon Shattock, and goals from Mohammed Ismail Ansari, and Stan Cargill, made sure of the win for the current league leaders.

in The Russell Grant Division 2, Elite Football Club London’s home league fixture on Saturday, was awarded to London Saracens. And Wiseman West won 4-2 away to FC Sunbury, in the same division. Now to the cup competitions, and in the London Saturday Junior Cup, the final Middlesex League team left in that competition, FC Marylebone, impressively won 2-1 at home, to another step 8 side, in Goldfingers FC. Romario Edwards and Zain Pereira got Marylebone’s goals, on the day. In the Middlesex County FA Intermediate Cup, Hayes & Hillingdon won 3-2 away to SL Benfica, in the quarter-finals of that prestigious competition. With Jamie Gourey, Charlie Casey, and Samuel Baigent, getting the goals for the visitors, on Saturday. 

Also in the Middlesex County FA Intermediate Cup, many congratulations must go to step 9 side Townmead, for making the semi-finals of this competition, as they won 4-0 at home to Brentham. And finally, Shepherds Bush won 3-1 at home to Ruislip Town, to also progress into the semi-finals of this county cup competition. Next Saturday (the 1st of February), my game of the week, is a very interesting Alec Smith Premier Division Cup quarter-final cup-tie, between Camden & Islington United and Soccer Stars Fennecs, at Hackney Marshes.