Non-League and Academy football writer

In a Southern League Division One Central fixture at Herns Way on bank holiday Monday, Welwyn Garden City faced London Lions. Welwyn Garden City have won two and lost one, from their opening three league matches of this season. It’s London Lions’ first ever season at step 4, and from their opening three league matches they have won one and lost two. This step 4 match was won late on by Welwyn Garden City, who won 1-0. Welwyn Garden City would start this game well. During the opening minutes of the match, Evaristo Mendes would hit a low effort from the edge of the London Lions box, which was gathered by their goalkeeper, Nathan Bloohn. Despite Welwyn Garden City having started this game well, London Lions would soon start to play their football well.

After London Lions player Ben Barnett had played the ball across to Jack Mattey on the right-hand side of the pitch, the skilful winger would see his cross in to the box blocked by a defender. However, the ball came back to Jack Mattey, who took the ball across to the edge of the penalty area, before hitting a good effort which was heading for the top right-hand corner of the goal, but for a really fine save from Sam Foster, who tipped the ball over his goal. From the resulting corner-kick, the ball would come to Jack Mattey, who would curl a decent effort towards goal from the edge of the box, which I believe was turned behind by Foster. 

London Lions had been using the ball well. After the ball had been laid off well to Adam Burchell on the edge of the Welwyn Garden City box, the London Lions player’s first time whipped effort on goal was well parried away by Sam Foster. Then at the opposite end of the pitch, and after Welwyn Garden City had countered forward with the ball, London Lions’ recovering central-defender, Alexander Lee, would make a crucial last ditch sliding block to stop Ethan Rookard’s effort from the right-hand side of the Lions’ box from testing the goalkeeper. A couple of minutes later, and a decent curling Jack Mattey free-kick (from 25 yards out) would go wide of Sam Foster’s goal.

London Lions had been defending well during the first half, but they were also the more creative side with the ball. A short forward pass from Benjamin Weinberger, would bobble up just as a Welwyn Garden City defender was about to control the ball. Zak Jackson would get to the ball, and the away team’s centre-forward would go forward with it, down the left-hand side of the Welwyn Garden City penalty area. His first effort was well saved by the outrushing Sam Foster, who did well to make the save. Then on the follow-up, Zak Jackson would, from a tight angle, see his effort rebound off a defender and on to him, as the referee awarded a goal-kick to Welwyn Garden City. Shortly before half-time, and London Lions, who continued to play well as a team, would create another chance. The impressive Jack Mattey would progress the ball forward down the right-hand side of the pitch, before skilfully taking the ball in to the home team’s box, and seeing his powerful low effort on goal be gathered by Sam Foster.

Early on in the second half, and a London Lions corner-kick delivery from Jack Mattey, would find Alexander Lee at the back post. He would head the ball across to Ben Barnett, who headed an effort wide of Foster’s goal. Around ten minutes later and after Welwyn Garden City substitute Bailey Stevenson had spotted the London Lions goalkeeper off his goal-line, and from the halfway line Stevenson would hit a really good lofted effort which went narrowly wide of the goal. There wasn’t too many chances for a good while, after that effort from Bailey Stevenson. The next goalscoring chance was created by London Lions, around 15 minutes later. The influential Jack Mattey would receive the ball on the left flank, before playing a short pass forward to the overlapping run of Joseph Bellman. The London Lions substitute would progress the ball down the left-hand side of the home team’s penalty area, before seeing his effort on goal, from an acute angle, be pushed behind by Foster.

This London Lions team had given so much in this game, but in the 87th minute of this match Welwyn Garden City would score what turned out to be the match winner. Bailey Stevenson, a player who had made a good impression on this game in the second half, would take a short forward pass in his stride. Stevenson would take the ball past Alexander Lee, who unfortunately appeared to lose his footing, as Stevenson took the ball in to the penalty area. With the outrushing London Lions goalkeeper approaching he would slot the ball beyond him and in to the goal, 1-0. Despite London Lions having pushed a number of players forward in second half stoppage time, Welwyn Garden City managed to hold on to their one goal lead, to get the win.

In my opinion, I thought that London Lions were very unfortunate to lose this match. They gave everything, and the players who were involved in this match all played well for their team, in what was a real team performance. In terms of chances created they were the more creative side, and were it not for a very good goalkeeping performance from Sam Foster (he was my Welwyn Garden City player of the match) in the Welwyn Garden City goal, then they could even have won this game. It was a good and competitive game however, and Welwyn Garden City substitute Bailey Stevenson would more than play his part in them getting all three points on the day.

My overall player of the match, and despite competition from Sam Foster, Jack Mattey and Adam Lipman, my player of the match award goes to London Lions player Alexander Lee. The central-defender had a really strong game defensively, and he won everything in the air, made some good blocks/challenges, and his reading of the game was very good.