Non-League and Academy football writer

Haringey Borough Under 23’s faced Walthamstow Reserves, on Friday night (at Coles Park), in an Essex Alliance Football League Senior Division fixture. Haringey Borough Under 23s started this match in fourth place in the Senior Division table, after 20 matches played. Walthamstow Reserves started this match in tenth place in the league standings, after 19 matches played. This game would finish in a 2-2 draw. Walthamstow player Bilel Benyoucef would manage an early effort on the Haringey goal, during this game, on a rainy night in north London. Benyoucef’s curling effort from the edge of the Haringey box, after travelling inside with the ball, was tipped over the crossbar by the Haringey goalkeeper, Justin Ismail. After a fairly uneventful start to this game, the next goal attempt of the game was also from Benyoucef, who after cutting inside with the ball from the right flank, he would hit a low effort on goal from around 20 yards out, which Ismail would gather.

The game started to come to life, after that fairly uneventful start to the game. After Omar Dacas had hit a low effort wide of the Haringey goal from distance, Graeme Trevett would get to a good through-ball pass, in behind the away team’s defence, and on the edge of their penalty area. Trevett was met by the outrushing Walthamstow goalkeeper (Chris Ndala), with the ball rebounding off of the goalkeeper, and onto Trevett, as the ball rebounded just wide of the goal. A big moment in the game would arrive a couple of minutes later, however. As Haringey Borough player Jorge Castaneda was sent off by the referee, after being shown a straight red card. And then a couple of minutes later, Haringey Borough were awarded a penalty, after Graeme Trevett had managed to get to a lofted pass in behind the Walthamstow defence, before colliding (inside of the penalty area) with their goalkeeper, Chris Ndala, with the referee pointing immediately to the penalty spot.

After that penalty had been awarded to Haringey, Sertan Kirman would step up to take it. However, following a slow run up, his low effort on goal was saved well to his left, by Chris Ndala. This game was fast becoming eventful, and Eny Okoro’s Walthamstow Reserves side would take the lead before half-time. Some good work from Bilel Benyoucef on the right-hand side of the Haringey penalty area, would result in the skilful winger deftly lifting the ball up in the air for Callum Fisher to bring down in the centre of the box, before turning with the ball and finishing low into the goal, 0-1. A couple of minutes before the half-time whistle was sounded, Oliver Webdale’s lofted pass out to Omar Dacas on the left flank, would result in the Walthamstow player controlling the ball and then powerfully hitting an effort wide, across the face of the Haringey goal.

Early on in the second half, Haringey defender Johani De Almeida would glance a header wide of the Walthamstow goal (from inside of their box), after meeting Louis Maffia’s free-kick delivery from the left flank. Walthamstow would counter forward with the ball at pace, soon after. With that particular move ending with Bilel Benyoucef receiving a short pass down the right-hand side of the home team’s box, with Benyoucef’s powerful resulting effort on goal being parried by Ismail. And then a couple of moments later, after Kemar Bello had got on the ball on the right-hand side of the Haringey box, he would then square the ball for Joshua Assouman, in the centre of the box, from where he would finish into the bottom left-hand corner of the goal, 0-2. After that second goal of the game had been scored by Walthamstow, the ten men of Haringey Borough Under 23s would really start to grow into the second half of this match.

Haringey Borough would end up getting a goal back in the game, soon after Walthamstow had scored their second goal of the match. As after Lamar Ellis had received the ball out on the right flank, his whipped, early cross into the Walthamstow penalty area would go over the goalkeeper, and find the top left-hand corner of the goal, 1-2. A powerful effort from distance, by Haringey defender Yusuf Sankoh, was well pushed behind his goal by Walthamstow goalkeeper Chris Ndala, as Haringey showed great energy levels. Haringey Borough’s excellent intensity by this point in the second half of the game, would soon result in them making it 2-2. Sertan Kirman would receive a pass (with his back to the Walthamstow goal) on the edge of the away team’s box, before quickly and cleverly back-heeling the ball to find the run of Louis Maffia in behind the Walthamstow defence. Down the right-hand side of the penalty area, Louis Maffia would do really well to chip the ball over the outrushing goalkeeper, and into the goal, 2-2.

Walthamstow Reserves would then go forward with the ball on a couple of good occasions, in quick succession. After Omar Dacas had hit a free-kick effort over (from 25 yards out) the Haringey goal, Walthamstow substitute Jason Braune would get to the ball on the edge of the home team’s penalty area, before seeing his low effort on goal be gathered by Ismail. And then soon after that effort on the Haringey goal, Jason Braune would then hit an effort on goal (from just inside of the home team’s box) which was deflected narrowly wide of the goalkeeper’s left-hand post, off of Yusuf Sankoh. The pace in which this game was being played at was frantic, with both sides now really going for the win. 

After Walthamstow goalkeeper Chris Ndala had rushed out of his penalty area to clear the ball, following a forward pass, the ball would come to Louis Maffia, whose decent effort from 30 yards out, would go wide of the Walthamstow goal. And then a matter of minutes later, the Haringey players and coaching staff were adamant that a penalty should have been awarded to them, following a challenge inside of the Walthamstow box. However, Walthamstow would again go forward soon after, and this time they came exceptionally close to winning the game very late on, on multiple occasions, and in quick succession. A good passing move would result in Bilel Benyoucef receiving a pass in a bit of space, inside of the Haringey box. Benyoucef’s powerful effort on goal was really well kept out by Justin Ismail, in the Haringey goal, and the goalkeeper would then make a fantastic save (on the follow-up) to keep out Omar Dacas’ effort from close range.

A quite incredible string of efforts on the Haringey goal would take place, very late on in this match, one after the after. As after a flurry of chances (there were around four/five efforts on goal) from inside of the Haringey box, which started with Benyoucef hitting the woodwork, would also see Jason Braune hit the woodwork, with some good last ditch defending, and a save from Justin Ismail, somehow preventing Walthamstow winning this game right at the end. And there was almost incredibly late drama, as following the very last action of this game, the ball would fall for Haringey substitute (following Louis Maffia’s free-kick delivery) Amari Asamoah just in front of the Walthamstow goal and and at the back post, but his effort from close range would hit the side-netting of the goal.

This was a quite incredible game and second half of football, which was so interesting, with so much going on, chances being created, and also a lot to admire about how both sides approached the latter stages of the game, and played their football. I thought that the ten men of Haringey Borough Under 23s showed tremendous courage, quality and determination after going 2-0 down, going on to fight back so well, to get a point from this game. I thought that the home side were very good in their shape, as well as with how they managed to really frustrate a very good Walthamstow forward line, at 2-2. With 11 versus 10 on the pitch, Walthamstow Reserves, particularly with those flurry of late chances, will still be wondering how they didn’t get a late winner. However, this was a really good game of football, in what is a really good step 7 league.

For Walthamstow Reserves I thought that with an assist (he was unlucky not to get a goal, as well) that their very inventive and skilful winger Bilel Benyoucef was their player of the match. With Finlay Simms and Joshua Assouman, also contenders for the Walthamstow Reserves’ player of the match award. For the home side on Friday, their omnipresent captain, Louis Maffia, put in an outstanding midfield performance, but there were a number of other very good performances on the Haringey team. With forward Sertan Kirman, Graeme Trevett, the versatile Lamar Ellis, and defenders Yusuf Sankoh and Johani De Almeida, really impressing. However, with a fine performance in goal and some really crucial saves at crucial moments in the game during the second half, Haringey Borough goalkeeper Justin Ismail was my player of the match.