Non-League and Academy football writer

In what was both side’s second Herts County Senior County League Premier Division fixture of the new 2025/26 season, OIR faced Leverstock Green Reserves at Capital City College (Enfield Centre) on Tuesday evening. North London side OIR lost 4-2 away to Westmill in their opening league fixture of the season, last Saturday. The visiting side on Tuesday (Leverstock Green Reserves) won their opening match of the season, 1-0 at home to Harefield United Development. This step 7 fixture on Tuesday was won 2-1 by Leverstock Green Reserves.

Leverstock Green Reserves would start this match strongly. After the away team’s centre-forward Alexandru Vtornicov had played a one-two pass with a teammate, he would go on a surging forward run through the middle of the OIR defence, showing some really good pace as he went forward with the ball. Continuing forward with the ball to the edge of the penalty area, Vtornicov’s resulting powerful low effort was well saved by the feet of the outrushing OIR goalkeeper, Andy Fiku. A couple of minutes later and in similar fashion, Alexandru Vtornicov would receive a short pass, and from around 30 yards out from goal, he would go on a surging forward run with the ball, through the middle of the OIR defence. Eventually going to the edge of the penalty area, his low effort on goal was once again well kept out by the outrushing Andy Fiku.

After that strong start to the game from Leverstock Green Reserves, they would score two goals in quick succession. Firstly Henry Burroughs would get to a short pass on the left flank, before going forward at pace to the byline, and then whipping a low and well delivered cross to the centre of the OIR box. His cross was met by the ghosting run of Archie Baker, whose excellent first time side-footed effort on the half-volley would find the roof of the OIR goal, 0-1. Very soon after play had resumed, Alexandru Vtornicov would once again show some really impressive pace. This time he would manage to get to a lofted forward pass, in behind of the OIR defence. Vtornicov did really well to get to the ball on the right-hand side of the OIR box, beyond the outrushing goalkeeper who was trying his best to recover. From there the Leverstock Green centre-forward would take the ball forward before finishing low at the near post of the goal, past a defender on the goal-line, 0-2.

Leverstock Green were continuing do really well at creating chances. After Alexandru Vtornicov (he was under pressure from two OIR defenders) had glanced a header wide of Andy Fiku’s goal after getting to Alexander Gyamfi’s cross in to the box, Alexandru Vtornicov would once again be involved in some good centre-forward play. This time he did well to hold the ball up just inside of the home team’s half of the pitch, before playing the ball across to Alexander Gyamfi who went forward well with the ball, to the edge of the OIR box. His resulting curling effort on goal was held by Andy Fiku, however. 

OIR started to really improve after such a difficult start to this game. After OIR player Kevin Mussunda had done well to cut inside with the ball from the left flank, he would hit a low effort on goal from the edge of the Leverstock Green box, which was well parried by their goalkeeper, Harry Maloret. A couple of minutes later, and Ridwan Hussein (OIR’s captain) would have a low on goal from 20 yards out, be gathered by Harry Maloret. However, just before half-time OIR managed to get a goal back in the game. A well delivered corner-kick towards the back post of the Leverstock Green goal would then go back across the face of the goal with Alie Sheriff on hand to head the ball in to the goal from close range, 1-2.

OIR would start the second half of this game in a similar fashion to how they had finished the first half – playing some really good football at a very good intensity. After Ridwan Hussein had gone forward with the ball towards the edge of the Leverstock Green box, he would play a clever and short disguised pass towards the path of Alie Sheriff, who had run in behind of the defence to the centre of the penalty area. Through on goal, Alie Sheriff’s low curling effort was well saved and kept out by the outrushing Harry Maloret, in what was a really important save from the Leverstock Green goalkeeper. 

OIR were continuing to play their football well, as the second half of this contest progressed. After Alie Sheriff had received Ibrahim Mohamed’s short pass on the edge of the away team’s box, he would turn skilfully with the ball, before whipping a good effort narrowly wide of the goalkeeper’s left-hand post. Soon after that effort, Alie Sheriff would play a good lofted pass out to Kevin Mussunda, on the left flank, and in Leverstock Green’s final third. He would then pass the ball to the overlapping Mohamed Hussein, on the left-hand side of the penalty area. However, Hussein’s powerful low effort would hit the side-netting of the goal. 

Late on in this game and with OIR continuing to really push for an equaliser, they would go on to create one more chance, during the latter stages of this game. As Mukhtar Muridi received a short pass on the right-hand side of the Leverstock Green box, before hitting a powerful effort over the goal. During the final minutes of the game Leverstock Green’s captain Freddie Newing would hit a powerful and dipping free-kick effort from 25 yards out, just over the OIR goal. After a difficult start to this game OIR would go on to play some superb passing football, and in my opinion they were unlucky not to get a point from this game, that their efforts and quality and passing football deserved. Leverstock Green started this game really well and they could have been 3-0 or 4-0 up during the first half.

I was very impressed with the way in which Leverstock Green Reserves started this match and also for the way in which they defended during the second half and late on, to get all three points. Real credit must go to them for the way in which they managed to defend and hold on to their lead. I thought that their centre-forward – Alexandru Vtornicov was their player of the match, despite other impressive and very effective performances, such as those from Freddie Newing and Ollie Grieves. Alexandru Vtornicov lead the line really well during his time on the pitch, and he scored one goal against OIR. For OIR, who I was very impressed with, for the way that they recovered following such a difficult start to this game. They went on to play their football with real confidence as a team, and they really pushed Leverstock Green Reserves all the way. I’m sure that they’ll get their first win of the season very soon.

For OIR I was very impressed with the performances of Kevin Mussunda, Mohamed Hussein, and Alie Sheriff, who was my player of this match. In the central and forward areas of the pitch, Alie Sheriff’s deftly accurate passes, skill on the ball, and his reading and anticipation of play, would see him a play a very big part in this really good performance from OIR, especially during the second half of the game.