Non-League and Academy football writer

CSM London faced Waltham Forest Borough, in an Essex Alliance Football League Senior Division fixture (at Parsloes Park Hub), on Saturday afternoon. CSM started this league fixture in fifth place in the table, after 18 matched played, with Halil Hassan’s Waltham Forest Borough side starting this game in 12th place in the league standings, after 18 matches played. This step 7 match was won 2-1 by CSM, who had to work really hard for all three points, against a good Waltham Forest Borough side. The opening stages of the game were quite even, in terms of chances created. After Luke McElroy had an early effort, from the right-hand side of the away team’s penalty area, saved by the Waltham Forest Borough goalkeeper, Brandon Bullman, the visitors would then go on to create a decent chance. With Dean Florence passing the ball to Mustafa Hussein on the right-hand side of the CSM box, and his low effort went just wide of Ryan Thompson’s right-hand post. 

A low cross from Mustafa Hussein, to Dean Florence, at the back post of the CSM goal, would result in Florence (it was from a difficult angle) hitting an effort wide. Chances came and went for both sides, as the half progressed. After Omari Williams had a low effort from the edge of the away team’s box, gathered by Bullman, Williams would then (a couple of minutes later) receive Dylan Flynn’s short pass on the edge of the visitor’s penalty area, but his low effort would whistle past the goalkeeper’s right-hand post. Both sides were now improving, and after Luke McElroy had headed an effort just over, from Marco Lavadera’s corner-kick delivery to the centre of the away side’s box, Waltham Forest Borough would go on to enjoy a good spell in the match. A number of good chances for the away team would follow.

A flicked pass from Dean Florence (following a lofted ball), came down to Mustafa Hussein, just inside of the home side’s penalty area, but Hussein’s powerful low effort on goal was parried by Thompson, before the ball was then cleared away. Soon after that good chance, Dean Florence would do well to evade a challenge, before taking the ball forward to the edge of the CSM box, and then hitting a powerful effort just wide of their goal. Thompson would have to make a save a couple of minutes later, to keep out Antonio Walcott’s powerful effort from the right-hand side of the CSM box, following a good move. And just before the end of what had been a very competitive first half of football, Marco Lavadera would hit an effort over the Waltham Forest Borough goal, from the centre of their box. The second half of this match would start well for Will Brobby’s CSM side, who would soon be awarded a penalty. This penalty had been awarded to CSM after Joel Jekennu had fouled Dylan Flynn down the left-hand side of the visiting team’s penalty area. However, Flynn’s resulting effort from the penalty spot, was well saved and parried to his right by Brandon Bullman. 

From missing that penalty, CSM would almost concede the opening goal of the game, shortly after Florence had an effort from the edge of the CSM box, saved by Thompson. As following a good counter from Waltham Forest Borough, Florence would pass the ball to Hussein, just past the half-way line. The forward was met by the outrushing CSM goalkeeper, but he managed to take the ball past him, before going beyond a defender and continuing forward, into the penalty area, but with a defender on the line and the goalkeeper still not having returned to his penalty area, Mustafa Hussein’s resulting effort would go narrowly wide of the goal. And CSM would then take the lead in this match, just past the hour mark. The influential Omari Williams’ good whipped cross (from the right flank) into the Waltham Forest box, would find Dylan Flynn, at the back post. Flynn would just tap the ball across, to Marco Lavadera, who finished into the goal from close range, 1-0.

Less than ten minutes after having taken the lead in the match, CSM would double their lead. After Omari Williams had done well to win a free-kick on the right-hand side of the pitch, but right on the edge of the away team’s box, Dylan Flynn would elect to take it. And Flynn’s exquisite curling effort had incredible accuracy, as it found the top left-hand corner of the goal, 2-0. However, Waltham Forest Borough would get a goal back, less than three minutes later. It came from a good passing move, as Aaron Blake’s pass from the edge of the CSM box, found Dean Florence, on the left-hand side of the penalty area. And from there, Florence would power an unstoppable effort past Thompson, and into the roof of the goal, 2-1.

Waltham Forest Borough would really push CSM during the remaining minutes of this very competitive match. After a long throw-in into the CSM box had been flicked on to the edge of the box to Conor Corrigan, he would see his resulting low, deflected effort, go just wide of Ryan Thompson’s goal. And then a couple of minutes later, a very late free-kick was awarded to Waltham Forest Borough, some 25 yards out from the CSM goal. Dean Florence’s whipped free-kick effort would go wide of Thompson’s right-hand post, however. This was a very closely fought game of football, between two sides who created chances throughout. Waltham Forest Borough will however, be very disappointed to not have got a point from this game. However, CSM managed the game well, at 2-1, and they’ll be very happy to record a hugely important league win.

For Waltham Forest Borough, I thought that their forward and goalscorer, Dean Florence, was their player of the match, in what was an influential performance from him. For my overall player of the match award, I have decided to choose CSM winger Omari Williams, despite competition from Ryan Thompson, and Dylan Flynn. The youngster was direct and skilful, and he was involved in CSM’s first goal of the match, and he also won the free-kick which Dylan Flynn scored from, for their second goal.