Non-League and Academy football writer

Chadwell Heath Spartans faced Philip United on Saturday afternoon, in an Essex Alliance Football League Senior Division, at The Jack Carter Centre. Aaron Hunwicks’ Spartans side started this league fixture in seventh place in the table, after 20 matches played. Philip United currently lead in the league standings, after 22 matches played. This step 7 match ended 4-2 to Philip United. After Philip United had hit a couple of early efforts over the Spartans’ goal (from outside of their box) during the early stages of this game, it was the home side who managed to create the first real goalscoring chance of the game, in what was a quite uneventful first half of football. With Peter Adeleye taking the ball forward past a Philip defender on the left-hand side of their penalty area, before being closed down and then seeing his effort saved by the Philip goalkeeper, Enrique Kalsi.

Philip United would manage to take the lead just before half-time, after Martin Ayuk’s cross from the right flank, was just spilt by the Spartans goalkeeper, Dino Maras, with Caleb Roberts on hand (from the centre of the penalty area) to head the ball into the goal on the follow-up, 0-1. Spartans player Billy Gipp would then curl a free-kick effort, from the edge of the Philip box, into the side-netting of their goal, just before half-time. The second half of this match was a lot more eventful.  Early on in the second half, and after Ryan O’Connell had hit an effort from a bouncing ball on the edge of the away team’s penalty area, his looping effort would go narrowly wide of Enrique Kalsi’s goal. A couple of minutes later, Aaron Hunwicks would make an important tackle on Tamas Retyi, in the centre of the Spartans’ box, just before Philip United made it 2-0. With Martin Ayuk’s corner-kick delivery finding Tamas Retyi at the near post of the goal, from where he clinically volleyed the ball across and into the bottom left-hand corner of the goal, 0-2.

Recovering Spartans defender Joe Robb would make an impressive goal-line clearance from Tamas Retyi’s goal-bound effort from inside the centre of the box, as the game progressed further. A couple of moments later, and Jerome Humes would hit a powerful first time effort over from the edge of the Spartans’ penalty area. Aaron Hunwicks’ Spartans side were really trying to get a goal back, in this game. The next chance of the match saw Billy Gipp’s powerful first time effort from 30 yards out, go narrowly wide of Enrique Kalsi’s left-hand post. However, Philip United were looking to get what would likely be a decisive third goal of the game. And they came very close to doing just that, after Tamas Retyi had received Michael Olatunji’s pass across to the centre of the Spartans box, with Tamas Retyi’s resulting low effort being excellently kept out low down to his left, by Dino Maras.

Chadwell Heath Spartans substitute Raymond Hunwicks’ long throw-in towards Peter Adeleye inside of the Philip penalty area, would see Adeleye turn well with the ball, before having an effort on goal which was gathered by Enrique Kalsi. Philip United would extend their lead a couple of minutes later, following a good and well worked passing move. As John Quissua passed the ball down the left-hand side of the Spartans’ penalty area, to David Moyo, who then passed the ball across to Joshua Wisdom, who finished from close range at the back post, 0-3. More goals would follow in this game, with the Spartans pulling a goal back soon after, as following some good work from Peter Adeleye down the right-hand side of the Philip penalty area, he squared the ball for Elie Fanga, who finished low into the goal, 1-3. Any real chances of the Spartans managing to get something out of this game, became less, with the visitors making it 4-1 soon after that goal.

For Philip United’s fourth goal of the game, Joshua Wisdom passed the ball to Fernandez Magba, right on the edge of the home side’s box, from where he expertly finished into the goal, in off the bottom of the goalkeeper’s left-hand post, 1-4. Very late on in the game, Chadwell Heath Spartans would get their second goal of the match. Dino Maras’ long and powerful kick up the pitch, would find the run of Peter Adeleye down the left-hand side of the Philip box, and the forward would then calmly find the bottom right-hand corner of the Philip goal, 2-4. The Spartans really fought well, to try and get back into the game during its final minutes, against the odds. They would manage two more goal attempts. Firstly, Billy Gipp’s effort from 25 yards out went over the Philip United goal, and then Elie Fanga managed to get to a long throw-in inside the centre of the Philip box, before turning with the ball and hitting an effort narrowly over.

I thought that Philip United were deserved winners today. They were clinical in front of goal, and although it wasn’t their very best performance of this season they did well to win 4-2, against an experienced Chadwell Heath Spartans side, who are more than capable of beating any side in the Senior Division. My player of the match from this game was Philip United’s right-back Martin Ayuk, who provided two assists on the day, as well as putting in a good all-round performance down the right-hand side of the pitch. Influential Philip United player Joshua Wisdom was also a contender for my player of the match award, for his performance during the second half of the match. For the Spartans, I personally thought that Peter Adeleye and Aaron Hunwicks’ were some of their most impressive players on the day. There is still so much for both Chadwell Heath Spartans, and Philip United, to play for during the remainder of this season.