Non-League and Academy football writer

The league leaders of the Essex Alliance Football League Senior Division, Philip United, faced Walthamstow Reserves at The Techsoc Stadium, on Friday night. Philip United started this game with 60 points after 24 games played. Eny Okoro’s  Walthamstow Reserves side, started this game in eighth place in the league standings, after 24 games played. Philip United won this entertaining game of football 4-2. Philip United would start this game in excellent fashion, taking the lead during the very early stages of the game. As following a good, and purposeful forward move with the ball, the ball was worked out to the left flank. The ball was then accurately whipped into the Walthamstow box (to the back post), by a Philip player, as David Moyo finished low into the goal, with a first time effort, 1-0. Soon after having taken the lead in this game, David Moyo would get to a laid off ball (20 yards out from goal), with his powerful resulting effort whistling narrowly wide of the Walthamstow goalkeeper’s right-hand post. And then, a long Philip throw-in (from the right-hand side of the pitch) would find David Moyo, in the centre of the Walthamstow penalty area. His clever looping header, however, was well pushed away from his goal by the Walthamstow goalkeeper, Mario Rubio.

David Moyo had made a good start to the game, but, shortly after he had headed an effort wide of the Walthamstow goal, after meeting John Quissua’s cross into the centre of their penalty area, the visiting side would score an equaliser, completely against the run of play. The goal arrived courtesy of a nicely worked passing move which began with Zidane Bolessa’s well weighted and clever forward pass, from the left-hand side of the pitch, finding the run of Joshua Assouman, down the left-hand side of the Philip box. Assouman would then square the ball to Kemar Bello (the Philip goalkeeper had rushed out of his goal to meet Assouman), who calmly finished low into the goal, 1-1. Philip United were continuing to play well both with and without the ball. After a good passing move had resulted in Joshua Wisdom hitting an effort over the Walthamstow goal from the left-hand side of their penalty area, Philip United would continue to create good chances.

Towards the end of the first half, Philip United would create another good chance. With the skilful Tamas Retyi’s good forward pass finding the run of David Moyo, down the left-hand side of the Walthamstow box, but the outrushing Mario Rubio would save his resulting effort on goal well. A one-two pass between Callum Fisher and Joshua Assouman, would result in Fisher hitting an effort wide of the Philip goal, from over 20 yards out. And just before half-time, Callum Fisher would receive a short pass in a bit of space on the right-hand side of the Philip penalty area, and the midfielder’s good effort on goal was well parried by Enrique Kalsi, in the Philip United goal. Similar to how they had started the first half, Philip United would start the second half of this match really well. With Fernandez Magba’s long and very accurate lofted pass, finding the run of Tamas Retyi, just in behind the Walthamstow defence. The midfielder would control the ball well, taking it into to the Walthamstow box, before then finishing low and clinically into the goal, 2-1.

Shortly after having regained the lead, impressive and influential Philip winger John Quissua, would get to a long pass down the left flank, before skillfully progressing the ball into the Walthamstow penalty area. But, his effort on goal was well saved by Mario Rubio, at his near post. The away side would then manage two goal attempts, in the resulting minutes, as they looked to go forward with the ball when they could. Firstly, Muhammad Hussain would hit a decent low effort across the face of the Philip goal, from the left-hand side of their penalty area, before Bilel Benyoucef would travel inside with the ball from the right flank, before hitting a powerful effort over the Philip goal, from some 25 yards out.

The next chance of this really good game of football, would see Tamas Retyi pass the ball forward to John Quissua, down the left-hand side of the Walthamstow box. Quissua’s good, chipped effort over the outrushing goalkeeper, was really well anticipated and cleared on the goal-line by impressive Walthamstow defender Oliver Webdale. Walthamstow Reserves would then stun the home side for the second time in this game, after they made it 2-2. Walthamstow would win the ball just beyond midfield, as Joshua Assouman went forward with the ball at pace. Then, through on goal and inside of the Philip penalty area, Assouman would tuck the ball into the bottom right-hand corner of the goal, 2-2. Not long after play had resumed, Oliver Webdale would make an impressive block from Tamas Retyi’s effort in the centre of the Walthamstow box. However, Philip’s relentless passing game and excellent movement off the ball, would soon see them retake the lead. John Quissua’s surging forward run down the left-hand side of the Walthamstow box, would then result in him squaring the ball to Tamas Retyi, who finished well into the bottom right-hand corner of the goal, 3-2.

Tamas Retyi almost got his hat-trick goal, as we approached the latter stages of this eventful game. As after meeting Alec Mudimu’s cross into the centre of the Walthamstow box, from the left flank, Tamas Retyi’s resulting powerful header, would dip just over the crossbar. Joshua Wisdom would then see his powerful effort (from the right-hand side of the Walthamstow box) saved behind off of Mario Rubio, before the Walthamstow goalkeeper would then push away Fernandez Magba’s powerful effort on his goal, from distance. And in the final minutes of the game, with Walthamstow having committed a number of players forward, Philip United would make it 4-2. A nice bit of skill from Alec Mudimu, down the left-hand side of the pitch, would then result in him going forward with the ball and playing a good pass to find the run of David Moyo, down the left-hand side of the visitor’s penalty area. And from there, David Moyo would finish well into the goal, past the outrushing goalkeeper, 4-2. 

This was a really good game of football, in my opinion. Philip United saw so much of the ball in Walthamstow’s final third, and they were dominant with the ball for so much of the game. However, the young players of Walthamstow Reserves were intelligent in how they played their game on Friday, against an outstanding Philip United forward line. They kept a good defensive shape, countering forward when they could, and scoring two well taken goals. Walthamstow Reserves showed real character and resilience, against a Philip United side who are technically and tactically superb, with them playing some excellent football tonight, as they edge ever closer to winning the league title. For my player of the match award from this game, it was a very difficult choice, between Tamas Retyi, Oliver Webdale, John Quissua, and David Moyo. However, for his all-round performance, Tamas Retyi was my player of the match. It wasn’t just his two well taken goals against Walthamstow Reserves, but it was also his great understanding of the game, and positioning and forward runs, which was very impressive. Tamas is a quality player, in a quality team.

For Walthamstow Reserves, Mario Rubio, Joshua Assouman, Callum Fisher, Martin Valkov, and Oliver Webdale, were some of their most impressive performers against Philip United. However, I thought that on the left-hand side of central defence, that Oliver Webdale’s reading and anticipation of play, was superb. He was therefore my Walthamstow Reserves player of the match.