Non-League and Academy football writer

In what was both Hayes & Hillingdon’s and Camden & Islington United’s first Middlesex County Football League Premier Division fixture of the new 2025/26 season, both sides came up against each other on Saturday afternoon, at Honeycroft (Uxbridge FC). Both very good sides, the first of last seasons two league meetings between these two sides would end in a 2-2 draw, before Camden & Islington won 4-1 away to Hayes & Hillingdon, during the latter stages of last season. On Saturday however, it was Hayes & Hillingdon who won this match, 1-0.

During the first 30 seconds of this match, a good flick on (on the edge of the home team’s box) from Camden & Islington player Ansu Njai, would find Rynelle Usher-Williams, just inside of the Hayes & Hillingdon penalty area. There was a bit of initial fortune with an initial rebound off a Hayes & Hillingdon defender, before Usher-Williams would hit a powerful low effort narrowly wide of the goalkeeper’s right-hand post. Around five minutes later, some good pressing from Hayes & Hillingdon centre-forward Liam Walford, would result in him managing to block Camden & Islington goalkeeper Liam King’s long pass up field, from inside of his box. The ball would rebound off of Walford, before bouncing just wide of the goal.

There was a really good intensity to this game of football, during its opening stages. Following a short Camden & Islington free-kick, Rynelle Usher-Williams would deliver a good cross in to the Hayes & Hillingdon box, from out on the left flank. Ansu Njai would meet his cross, heading wide from around eight yards out from goal, but under pressure from a defender. Then, a couple of minutes later, Camden & Islington would lose possession of the ball on the edge of their penalty area, with Arun Manget powerfully hitting an effort narrowly over Liam King’s goal. Soon after that Hayes & Hillingdon goal attempt, the home side would take the lead in this contest. After a free-kick had been awarded to Hayes & Hillingdon right on the edge of the Camden & Islington box, Joe Shepherd would elect to take it. The Hayes & Hillingdon captain’s excellent curling effort would go beyond the wall and in to the right-hand corner of the goal with real accuracy, 1-0.

Shortly before half-time, Hayes & Hillingdon player Danny McDonnell was sin-binned by the referee. And then a couple of minutes later, some good work from Ryan Pickles down the left flank, would result in him playing a pass across to Dwayne Reid, on the edge of the home side’s penalty area. Reid’s decent curling effort would go over the goal, however. Early on in the second half Hayes & Hillingdon player Arun Manget would manage to get to a clearance on the edge of the Camden & Islington box, following a corner-kick. His effort on the bounce would go just over Liam King’s crossbar

Camden & Islington’s number 52 (Ryan Pickles), would start the second half of this match well, and he was always looking to receive the ball. After receiving a short pass, he would turn with the ball (around 25 yards out from goal) before travelling forwards to the edge of the penalty area. His resulting low effort to the centre of the goal was gathered by Hayes & Hillingdon’s goalkeeper – Kian Nicoll.  Hayes & Hillingdon would then go forward with the ball, soon winning a free-kick out on the right-hand side of the pitch. Joe Shepherd’s free-kick delivery in to the centre of the away team’s box was met by Michael Gunster, whose clever flicked effort on goal was well turned behind by Liam King.

Hayes & Hillingdon were defending and managing this game well, as a team. However, Nick Wigmore and Kat Craig’s Camden & Islington side were continuing to play their passing game well, as they looked to draw level in the game. After Camden & Islington substitute Hamza Mehdaoui had received Louie Dixon’s short pass down the left flank, he would cut inside with the ball, before entering the Hayes & Hillingdon box. His resulting low effort would go in to the side-netting of the goal. A couple of minutes later and Camden & Islington player Ryan Pickles would receive a short pass to the left-hand side of the home team’s box. He would then skilfully go beyond a defender, before hitting a powerful effort against the side-netting of Kian Nicoll’s goal.

Once again Camden & Islington would go forward with the ball, as this game progressed. A good passing move from the visitors would result in their captain Billy Doyle hitting a powerful effort on the turn (from just inside of the Hayes & Hillingdon box), which was well pushed behind for a corner-kick by Kian Nicoll. During the final minutes of the game a long forward pass from Hayes & Hillingdon would result in the ball being controlled by a teammate and then given to Liam Walford, who surged forward (from around 20 yards out from goal) to the edge of the away team’s box, before hitting a low effort on goal which was saved by the feet of Liam King. This was a really good team performance from Hayes & Hillingdon, today. It was however, a moment of quality from Joe Shepherd, which separated the sides on the day.

The way in which Hayes & Hillingdon defended, celebrated every challenge won, as well as the way in which they managed the game, was very impressive. Camden & Islington United played some really good football as a team, showing real quality with the ball for so much of this game, and in what was a good and highly competitive game of football, I thought that they were unlucky not to have got a point from the game. The north London club were really pushing for an equalising goal during the second half, but once again credit must go to the home team, for stopping Camden & Islington from drawing level.

My Camden & Islington player of the match on Saturday was their captain and central-defender – Billy Doyle, who defended really well, I thought. However, I’d also like to mention the performances of Ryan Pickles, Nasia Adams and Sam Skeggs, who all impressed. For Hayes & Hillingdon, and despite some big and important performances all across their team, such as those from Liam Walford (he lead the line really well), Arun Manget, and Danny McDonnell, my player of the match award goes to Joe Shepherd. The Hayes & Hillingdon central-defender and captain  (unfortunately he was substituted off with injury during the second half) lead from defence so well. He was very vocal, but he also defended well, as well as scoring a worthy winner from a free-kick. I really do expect both Hayes & Hillingdon and Camden & Islington to be right up there in the Premier Division table, come the latter stages of this season.