Non-League and Academy football writer

Haringey Borough Under 23s welcomed CSM London to Coles Park on Friday night, for an Essex Alliance Football League Senior Division fixture. Haringey Borough Under 23s started this game in third place in the Senior Division standings, after 26 matches played. The home side would start this game one place and four points above of CSM London, who have two games in hand over them, in the league table. This promised to be a good game of football, and this well contested match would finish in a 1-1 draw. During the early stages of this game, a clever back-heeled pass from CSM player Marco Lubrano-Lavadera (close to the edge of the Haringey box) was met by Rafael Da Mata, whose low effort was gathered by Haringey Borough’s goalkeeper, Justin Ismail. Around five minutes later Zayshaun Asamoah would show some great pace when travelling forward with the ball, taking it past two CSM defenders, before entering their penalty area, where his low effort went narrowly wide of the goalkeeper’s left-hand post.

After a fairly even start to the match, Haringey Borough would take the lead. As Ishmail Doumbia’s through-ball pass from midfield, would find the clever run of Sertan Kirman, down the right-hand side of the CSM penalty area. And from there the Haringey Borough player would finish low and powerfully past goalkeeper Ryan Thompson, into the bottom right-hand corner of his goal, 1-0. Despite CSM player  Marco Lubrano-Lavadera being sin-binned after appealing for a CSM penalty to be awarded, the visitors continued to compete well in this game. Dylan Flynn’s clever curling effort on the Haringey goal, from the edge of their penalty area was saved by Justin Ismail, before Zayshaun Asamoah hit a powerfuf effort over the away team’s goal, from distance. Just before half-time, a Dylan Flynn lofted free-kick delivery into the Haringey Borough penalty area, was met by Conrad Doggett, at the back post. The defender’s headed effort on goal was saved and gathered by Justin Ismail.

CSM London would start the second half of this match well. And, Will Brobby’s side would really push for an equaliser during the early stages of the second half. Shortly after Marco Lubrano-Lavadera’s deflected effort on the Haringey goal, from distance, had gone over their goal, Dylan Flynn would see his low effort on goal, from the left-hand side of the home team’s box, be gathered by Justin Ismail. After that fine start to the second half, CSM would manage to level the game. Kasalimu Konteh’s low cross from the right-hand side of the pitch was met by Nana Sika Sarfo, on the left-hand side of the home team’s penalty area. His initial powerful effort on goal was excellently blocked on the goal-line by a defender. But, the ball would then come back to the CSM player, with his resulting, powerful effort across the face of the goal being well volleyed home from close range, by Michael Payne, 1-1.

Haringey Borough Under 23s would try to regain the lead, however. After a good passing move from the home side had led to Lamar Ellis hitting a good, low effort (from the right-hand side of the CSM box) just wide of Ryan Thompson’s right-hand post, it was then CSM’s turn to go forward with the ball. A good and skilful run into the Haringey Borough penalty area, from Rafael Da Mata, would see the CSM player, who was under pressure, lay the ball off to Nana Sika Sarfo, on the edge of the penalty area. However, his resulting first time effort would go over. Then, a good outside of the boot pass from Sertan Kirman, would find the run of Triston Foster, on the right-hand side of the CSM box, with his powerful effort going just wide of the goal, at the goalkeeper’s near post. 

Very late on in this highly competitive match, CSM player Obed Mbila would get to a low cross, in a bit of space on the right-hand side of the Haringey Borough penalty area. However, his low effort on goal was well saved by the feet of Justin Ismail, with both sides having to settle for a point. This was a highly competitive game of football, between two very good sides in the Senior Division. I would say that on the balance of play, that a draw was probably the fair result. CSM would battle back in to the game, and even after one of their players had been sin-binned, they still pressed really well as a team, working hard to defend and create, against the home side.

For Haringey Borough Under 23s, I thought that their versatile defender, Lamar Ellis, was their player of the match, for what was a fine performance, both with and without the ball. However, I was also impressed with the performances of Oliwier Fusiek, Ishmail Doumbia, and Sertan Kirman, to name just some of the Haringey players. For my overall player of the match award, Marco Lubrano-Lavadera, Lamar Ellis, Rafael Da Mata, and Nana Sika Sarfo were all contenders. However, for what was a really fine and strong defensive performance, in the heart of the CSM defence, Conrad Doggett was my player of the match, on Friday.