Non-League and Academy football writer

In an Essex Senior League fixture at Wadham Lodge on Friday night, West Essex faced Woodford Town. George Karsa’s West Essex side started this local Derby match in 14th place in the league table, after 27 matches played. Shane Baptiste’s Woodford Town side started this game in second place in the table, after 29 matches played, one point off the league leaders, Stanway Rovers Community, having played two games more than them in the league. This step 5 match was won 1-0 by Woodford Town. Early on in this match, on what was a cold night in Walthamstow, it was West Essex who managed the first goal attempt of the game. As Nathan Brathwaite had got to the ball following a rebound on the left-hand side of the Woodford penalty area, before hitting an effort over the goal.

After a Woodford corner-kick into the home team’s box, had only been cleared as far as Miles Mitchell-Nelson, the Woodford player would volley an effort (from the centre of the penalty area) wide of the goalkeeper’s left-hand post. The next effort of this well contested game, would see Woodford forward Micah Jackson hit a free-kick effort from 25 yards out, over the West Essex goal. There weren’t a lot of goalscoring chances, in what was proving to be quite a cagey first half of football. However, both sides were trying their best to change that. Following Jack Martin’s short free-kick to Jaedon Phillips, down the left-hand side of the Woodord box, Phillips would quickly lay the ball off to Oliver Travell, whose effort from inside of the  penalty area, would go wide of the goal.

A great piece of defending, not long before half-time, would see West Essex player Jayden Alexander anticipate Woodford player Nathan Sollosi’s low effort on goal, from the right-hand side of the box, to stop the ball crossing the goal-line, before allowing the goalkeeper to then gather the ball. Just before the referee had sounded his whistle for half-time, West Essex centre-forward and captain, Mitchell Arthur, would see his curling first time effort from the edge of the Woodford box, be gathered by Woodford’s goalkeeper and captain, Manny Agboola. Just after the hour mark of the game, and in the second half, Woodford Town would take the lead from a corner-kick. However, firstly, the impressive David Gokou-Siakouri would cross the ball from the left flank, to Nathan Sollosi, on the right-hand side of the box, with his powerful effort on goal being pushed behind by the West Essex goalkeeper, Lewis Edwards, at his near post. 

From that corner-kick, Josh Banfield’s good delivery into the box, was then met by the head of Michael Agboola, following Nathan Sollosi’s initial header, as the ball went into the goal off him, despite the best efforts of the West Essex defenders, on the goal-line, 0-1. The referee would award the goal, after speaking to the linesman who was closest to the action. West Essex would try to respond to going 1-0 down, but Woodford Town’s diligent defending, was making it very difficult for West Essex to test the goalkeeper. Following some good work from West Essex player Nathan Brathwaite, he would hit a low effort from the left-hand side of the pitch, on the Woodford goal, but the ball was gathered well by Manny Agboola. Emmanuel Martins would then hit an effort over from the edge of the West Essex penalty area. West Essex would continue to press and push the Woodford defence during the latter stages of the game, but Woodford were just so good defensively.

This was a good and professional performance from the current league leaders, against West Essex. Shane Baptiste’s Woodford Town side were very efficient on the pitch, and they worked hard to really limit the chances for West Essex. Woodford’s goalscorer, Michael Agboola, was my player of the match, after being  substituted on in the 51st minute of the game, for the injured Miles Mitchell-Nelson. The central defender was very good defensively during his time on the pitch. In the first half of the match, I thought that David Gokou-Siakouri was Woodford’s best player. For West Essex, I thought that Nathan Brathwaite showed some good skill and endeavour throughout his time on the pitch, and he really worked hard to try and influence the game, and create chances. However, I was also impressed with their centre-forward Mitchell Arthur’s work in the forward areas of the pitch, with second half substitutes Matt McDowell and Zak Oliver, also impressing during their time on the pitch.