Non-League and Academy football writer

Frenford Development welcomed Woodford Town Reserves to The Jack Carter Centre on Tuesday night, for a semi-final tie of this season’s Essex Alliance Football League Senior Division Cup. Frenford Development are currently in fifth place in the Senior Division standings, after 25 matches played. Woodford Town Reserves are currently in 10th place in the Senior Division table, after 24 matches played. This important cup-tie was won 1-0 by Woodford Town Reserves (during the final minutes of the game), courtesy of a moment of real quality from Lucas Verdant. Woodford Town Reserves would start this match well, on a cold night in east London. The away side were aggressive when out of possession of the ball, and they would go on to create the first three goalscoring chances of this game. Firstly, Woodford player Remarle Lawrence would hit a low effort (from the edge of the Frenford box), which went wide of the goalkeeper’s right-hand post. And then, a couple of minutes later Woodford’s centre-forward, Bailey Brown, would play a one-two pass with Arthur Massingham, before then receiving the ball again just inside of the home team’s penalty area. His resulting powerful effort on goal was well kept out, to his right, by Frenford’s goalkeeper (Razvan Marcu).

After the impressive Arthur Massingham had hit a low effort, from the edge of the Frenford penalty area, which was gathered by Razvan Marcu, Frenford would start to be more creative in the final third. And following Isima Iguisi’s pass across to Shanlon Thomas, the Frenford player would hit an effort (from 20 yards out) on the Woodford goal which was held by their goalkeeper, Callum McEvoy. The away side would finish the second half strongly, however. Arthur Massingham would pass the ball forward to Louie Cooper, on the right-hand side of the Frenford penalty area. Cooper would then give the ball back to Massingham, whose powerful resulting effort went just over the goal. And then right on half-time, a free-kick delivery from Woodford player Jack Barnes, out on the right-hand side of the pitch, was delivered well, into the Frenford box. However, the ball wasn’t cleared away properly, with Arthur Massingham getting to the ball on the left-hand side of the penalty area. His resulting, powerful effort on goal was excellently kept out to his left, by Razvan Marcu.

After the second half of this game has started, both sides would once again try and score the opener. Lucas Verdant’s powerful effort from the edge of the Frenford box would go over their goal, before Frenford went close to scoring the opening goal of the game, at the other end of the pitch. With the ball deflecting across (following a good move from Frenford) to Isima Iguisi, down the right-hand side of the Woodford box. However, Isima Iguisi’s powerful low effort was well saved by the feet of Callum McEvoy. The game was beginning to open up more, and following a good save down to his left by Razvan Marcu, as the result of a Woodford player’s effort from the edge of the penalty area, at the opposite end of the pitch, a couple of minutes later, Tyler Shillingford’s effort from distance was held by Callum McEvoy. Both sides were continuing to defend their respective penalty areas well, as the game progressed.

After a free-kick had been awarded to Woodford on the edge of the Frenford penalty area, Arthur Massingham would curl an effort over the goal, before Bilal Hussain, who had been brought on for Frenford for the start of the second half, would make a good forward pass. His clever forward pass from midfield, would find the run of Isima Iguisi, on the edge of the Woodford box, and his low resulting effort on goal was gathered by Callum McEvoy. The game would edge closer towards the end of the 90 minutes, with both sides continuing to look for a late winner. After dropping deep into midfield to receive the ball, Woodford forward Bailey Brown would turn with the ball, before playing a defence splitting forward pass out to Louis Cooper, down the right-hand side of the pitch. Cooper would go forward with the ball at pace, taking it into the Frenford penalty area. He was however, met by the outrushing Razvan Marcu, who made a top save, after closing down the angles for Louie Cooper. 

In the final minutes of the game, Bilal Hussain would curl an effort over from the edge of the Woodford box, before a moment of outstanding quality from Lucas Verdant would win the game for Woodford Town Reserves. Lucas Verdant would get to the ball over 20 yards out from goal (close to the right-hand side of the pitch), before hitting an absolutely brilliant and powerful effort on his right foot, which found the top left-hand corner of the goal, in superb fashion, 0-1. I thought that overall and on the balance of play, and although there wasn’t a lot in the game to separate both sides after 90 minutes, that Woodford Town Reserves deserved to book their place in the final of the Senior Division Cup. But, this was a well contested game of cup football, which was decided by a moment of exceptional quality from Lucas Verdant. Congratulations must go to Woodford Town Reserves on reaching the final of this competition.

Razvan Marcu was in my opinion Frenford Development’s player of the match, making some excellent saves on the night. However, a special mention must also go to Jordan McLaughlin, who was another contender for this award. But, despite real competition from Razvan Marcu, the highly influential Arthur Massingham, Lucas Verdant, and Bailey Brown, my player of the match award goes to Woodford player Louie Cooper. Louie Cooper really took the game to Frenford, down the right-hand side of the pitch, and he was really positive and direct with the ball in forward areas, always looking to receive the ball and go on surging forward runs. However, he worked very hard off the ball, and he didn’t stop running throughout the match, really giving his all for the team.