Non-League and Academy football writer

Woodford Town Reserves faced Haringey Borough Under 23s on Saturday afternoon, in an Essex Alliance Football League Senior Division fixture, at Ashton Playing Fields. Woodford Town Reserves started this match in ninth place in the league table, after 21 matches played. Haringey Borough Under 23s started this match in fourth place in the league standings, after 23 matches played. In this league fixture, between two talented and youthful sides, it was Haringey Borough Under 23s who won this game, 4-0. During the early stages of the match, and after a Woodford corner-kick had been played short to Arthur Massingham, on the edge of the Haringey penalty area, Massingham would whip a decent effort wide of the goalkeeper’s left-hand post. A couple of minutes later and after Alex Nicolaides had managed to get to a lofted forward pass in behind the Woodford defence, and inside of their penalty area, he would hit an effort just wide of the goalkeeper’s left-hand post, after he (the goalkeeper) had rushed out to meet the ball.

The next chance of this game would see Jack Barnes get to a loose ball on the edge of the away team’s box (following a clearance from a cross), but Barnes’ powerful effort went over the goal. Haringey Borough were starting to play their football really well. After a well worked passing move saw Graeme Trevett find Alex Nicolaides down the left-hand side of the Woodford box, the Haringey forward would whip the ball across the face of the goal, finding Lamar Ellis, at the back post. Ellis’ effort on the volley would go over the goal, however. Shortly after that good chance, Haringey would take the lead in the match. Louis Maffia’s fine lofted pass from midfield, found the run of Graeme Trevett, in behind the Woodford defence. The outrushing Woodford goalkeeper, Callum McEvoy, was unable to clear the ball, and Trevett would then find the bottom right-hand corner of the goal from inside of the penalty area, 0-1.

Woodford looked to respond to going 1-0 down in the match, with Jacob Richards heading the ball into the arms of Haringey goalkeeper Justin Ismail, after meeting Jack Barnes’ corner-kick delivery at the back post of the Haringey goal. However, Haringey were starting to enjoy a really good spell in the game. After Louis Maffia had made a clever run off the shoulder of the Woodford defence, to the right-hand side of their penalty area, on the ball, Maffia’s resulting effort on goal was well kept out by Callum McEvoy. Haringey Borough’s second goal of the afternoon would arrive soon after. I believe that the move started with Ismaila Doumbia’s pass out from defence. However, and after Graeme Trevett had received the ball on the left-hand side of the Woodford box, he would then whip a low cross to Sertan Kirman at the back post, from where he finished low into the goal from close range, 0-2.

Not long at all after having made it 2-0, Haringey Borough were awarded a penalty, after Alex Nicolaides had got to a forward pass in behind the Woodford defence, and from inside of the penalty area he was met by the outrushing Callum McEvoy, who had ran into him, resulting in the referee pointing to the penalty spot. Up stepped Louis Maffia who finished low into the goal and sent the goalkeeper the wrong way, to score his 14th goal of the season. A couple of minutes after Woodford centre-forward Bruno Gomes had received a low cross inside of the Haringey penalty area, and seen his resulting low effort really well kept out of the goal by the diving Justin Ismail, the away side were awarded another penalty. This time and following another clever and intricate passing move, Graeme Trevett was fouled by a defender, down the left-hands side of the Woodford penalty area. However, Trevett’s resulting effort from the penalty spot would hit the bottom of the goalkeeper’s left-hand post.

Just before half-time and after having received Graeme Trevett’s pass on the edge of the Woodford box, David Martins would hit a low effort on Callum McEvoy’s goal, which was tipped well around his right-hand post by the goalkeeper. Haringey would start the second half at a similar intensity to how they had finished the first half. After Alex Nicolaides had traveled forward at pace with the ball down the right-hand side of the Woodford box, the skilful forward would hit a powerful effort across goal and against the goalkeeper’s crossbar. And at the opposite end of the pitch (a couple of minutes later), Arthur Massingham would get to a lofted pass down the left-hand side of the Haringey penalty area. His resulting lobbed effort over the outrushing Justin Ismail, would hit the top of the crossbar, on its way behind for a goal-kick.

A good forward pass from Sertan Kirman, would find the run of Haringey Borough substitute David Mata, down the left-hand side of the pitch. He would continue forward with the ball into the penalty area, before seeing his effort well saved behind by Callum McEvoy. From the following corner-kick Louis Maffia’s good delivery was met by Blerdon Kurtolli, who connected with the ball inside the centre of the penalty area, and his effort would then loop into the top right-hand corner of the goal, 0-4. It was almost 5-0 soon after, with Alex Nicolaides going forward with the ball at pace into the Woodford box, before partially rounding the goalkeeper and then hitting a powerful just wide of the goal.

Haringey Borough were looking to extend their lead further during the latter stages of the second half. But, shortly after a great passing move from the visiting side had resulted in David Mata seeing his deflected low effort (from inside the centre of the Woodford box) go narrowly wide of the goalkeeper’s left-hand post, Haringey Borough had a player sent off. As Ismaila Doumbia (he had a really good game, defensively) was shown a second yellow card following a challenge on Bruno Gomes, on the edge of the Haringey Borough penalty area. However, Jack Barnes’ resulting curling free-kick effort went over the goal. And, Chris Odell and Junior Fenton’s Haringey Borough side managed to keep a clean-sheet, and limit Woodford to not very many chances during the finals stages of the game.

This was a very good performance from a very good Haringey Borough Under 23s side, today. They were much the better team on the day, and they once again played really well as a team, enjoying some excellent spells in the game, and passing the ball around the pitch with pace and purpose throughout. For Woodford Town Reserves, I thought that their centre-forward, Bruno Gomes, was their player of the match, with substitute Louie Reeves also doing well after he came on during the second half. 

It was however, a very difficult decision as to who to name player of the match, and I honestly could’ve given this award to any of the Haringey Borough players on the day. With so many impressive performances, such as those from Timi Tinubu and Blerdon Kurtolli in central midfield, who both put in a real shift, to the performances of Louis Maffia, Graeme Trevett, Sertan Kirman, and Alex Nicolaides, as well as a fine performance from substitute Hamid Sesisay, in defence. However, for his movement off the ball, linkup play and hard work in the forward areas, I’m going to name the influential Alex Nicolaides as my player of the match. He was very unfortunate not to get a goal himself, today.