Non-League and Academy football writer

London Hibernian faced Farleigh Rovers on Tuesday night, in a Surrey South Eastern Combination Intermediate Division 1 fixture, at Wibbandune Sports Ground. Title contenders London Hibernian, started this game in fifth place in the league, after 18 league matches played. Farleigh Rovers started this game in sixth place in the league table, after 21 matches played. This step 8 fixture was won 4-2 by London Hibernian. This game got off to a great start for London Hibernian, whose energy levels and the intensity of their play during the opening stages of this game, was very impressive. London Hibernian would take the lead early on, after Conor Farrell’s corner-kick towards the back post of the Farleigh goal, would be headed home by Olan Davan, 1-0. Soon after and following Conor Farrell’s short pass to Gavin Falconer, close to the edge of the Farleigh box, Falconer would hit a powerful low effort narrowly wide of the goalkeeper’s left-hand post. London Hibernian were continuing to play some good, fast football, with their second goal of this match arriving a couple of minutes later.

London Hibernian’s second goal of the night, would arrive after Gary Higgins had picked the ball up on the right-hand side of the pitch, before travelling inside the pitch with the ball. Higgins would then play a nicely weighted through-ball pass, to find the run of David Dalton, in behind the Farleigh defence. Dalton was through on goal inside of the penalty area, from where he clinically found the bottom right-hand corner of the goal, 2-0. A free-kick soon after for London Hibernian, would result in Gary Higgins’ lofted free-kick (from the right-hand side of the pitch) in to the Farleigh box, picking out David Dalton, whose clever flicked header went narrowly wide of the goalkeeper’s right-hand post. Then, and following some great skill by Dalton, to take the ball around a Farleigh defender down the right-hand side of the pitch, the London Hibernian forward would play the ball back to Matthew Russell on the edge of the Farleigh box. But, Russell’s first time curling effort would go just over Guillierme Proenca’s crossbar.

The pace in which London Hibernian had started this game at, was superb. After David Dalton had won the ball off a Farleigh defender, he would skilfully run forward with the ball at pace, taking the ball down the left-hand side of the penalty area, before seeing his low effort on goal be well saved by the feet of Proenca, with the ball then being cleared away. Despite the home side’s dominance on this game, Farleigh Rovers did manage to get in to the game as the half progressed. And the away side were awarded a penalty after a short pass from the London Hibernian goalkeeper (Stuart Bradshaw) had lacked a bit of pace on it, and a London Hibernian player would then foul Joe Grieco inside of the penalty area, as the referee pointed immediately to the penalty spot. Stuart Bradshaw would make a fine save to keep out the resulting penalty, but, the ball was latched on to by a Farleigh player, who passed the ball across goal to a teammate, who finished from close range, 2-1.

Straight after play had resumed following Farleigh’s first goal of the game, Stuart Bradshaw would make an important reflex from a header, after the ball had been crossed in to the London Hibernian box. And then a couple of moments later, Farleigh player James Twyford’s low curling free-kick effort from the edge of the home team’s box, would go just wide of Bradshaw’s left-hand post. Bradshaw would then manage to gather a free-kick effort on his goal from 25 yards out, a couple of minutes later. London Hibernian did however, manage to find their rhythm again before half-time, going on to finish the half in fine fashion. As shortly after the impressive Gavin Falconer’s powerful low effort on the Farleigh goal, from distance, had been well pushed behind by Proenca, London Hibernian would go on to score a third goal. And as the result of a long forward pass, which went in behind of the Farleigh defence and had found the run of David Dalton, the forward would run forward with the ball at pace, to the left-hand side of the away team’s box. Dalton would then wait for Conor Farrell to arrive in the centre of the box, before playing the ball across to him. Farrell’s initial effort was well kept out by Proenca, before he finished low in to the goal from a tight angle on the follow-up, 3-1.

London Hibernian would start the second half in a similar fashion to how they had started the first half. Another good run from Dalton, in behind of the Farleigh defence, would this time result in him laying the ball off to Gavin Falconer, on the edge of the box. Falconer’s powerful low effort would go just wide of the goalkeeper’s right-hand post, however. Then, and following some good skill by Dalton on the edge of the Farleigh box, he would play a nice pass forward to Gary  Higgins, down the right-hand side of the box, although Higgins’ low effort on goal was pushed behind well by Proenca. From the resulting corner, the unmarked Chris Healy would power a header wide of the goal, before it was Farleigh’s turn to go forward with the ball. And shortly after Farleigh Rovers substitute Junior Brooks had hit a low effort across the face of the home team’s goal, under pressure and on the right-hand side of their box, Farleigh would get their second goal of the game.

For Farleigh’s second goal, a deflected effort from the edge of the London Hibernian box would fall in to the path of a Farleigh forward, who managed to stay onside and finish low in to the goal, 3-2. London Hibernian were able to restore their two goal cushion, after the tireless David Dalton had managed to just get to the ball ahead of a Farleigh defender very soon after, taking it just inside of the penalty area, before being tripped by the defender, resulting in a penalty being awarded. London Hibernian’s captain Ryan Varma, would expertly power the resulting penalty in to the roof of the goal, 4-2. The home team were now really looking to seal the win, and a great passing move would see Gary Higgins get to Conor Farrell’s pass on the right-hand side of the Farleigh box, before he then played a lofted ball across goal, which saw Gavin Falconer head it on goal, but somehow Proenca managed to push the ball away from his goal, to make an outstanding reflex save, from close range. 

An even better passing move would follow, five minutes later. As London Hibernian substitute Igor Tiunicov would play a fine forward pass to Conor Farrell, who was in plenty of space on the left-hand side of the Farleigh penalty area. However, Farrell’s effort would go wide, across the face of the goal. Farleigh Rovers did manage a couple of decent efforts from inside of the London Hibernian box, during the final minutes of the game, but, the home side would defend well, and in doing so they picked up another very important three points. I could see exactly why London Hibernian are challenging for the league title this season. They are a very well organised team, who move the ball around the pitch really well. I was very impressed with their performance as a team, against a good Farleigh Rovers side, who came back in to this game well.

I could have given so many of the London Hibernian players my player of the match award on Tuesday. Players such as John Kennedy, Conor Farrell, Gavin Falconer, and Gary Higgins, could easily have been named player of the match. London Hibernian forward, David Dalton, was my player of the match, however. He led the line so well during his time on the pitch. involved in three of the home team’s goal on the night, and his pace, trickery, and movement off the ball, made him a real standout player in my opinion. I thought that Guillierme Proenca was Farleigh Rovers’ player of the match.