Non-League and Academy football writer

Step 5 side Broadfields United faced step 4 side Harrow Borough on Tuesday night at Tithe Farm Sports & Social Club, in a first round tie of this seasons Middlesex FA Senior Challenge Cup. Sunny Tailor’s Broadfields United side are currently in third place in the Combined Counties Football League Premier Division North. Harrow Borough are currently in third place in the Isthmian League South Central Division table. This cup tie was won 4-3 by Broadfields United, the team who play their football at step 5.

Started at a great pace, Broadfields United would take an early lead, in the seventh minute of this cup tie. Their centre-forward, David Levy, would press the Harrow Borough goalkeeper really well, following a back pass inside of his penalty area. As he attempted to win the ball David Levy was fouled by the goalkeeper, resulting in a penalty being awarded to the home side. Rhys Ellis would clinically finish in to the bottom right-hand corner of the goal, from the resulting penalty, 1-0. Some four minutes later and Harrow Borough would find themselves level in the tie. With a long ball up field bouncing towards the run of Lucas Millar down the left-hand side of the Broadfields box. Millar would then finish low beyond the Broadfield goalkeeper, 1-1.

The pace of this cup tie certainly didn’t slow down as the first half progressed. After Broadfields player Dickson Owusu had chested the ball down to Gabriel Piorkowski inside the centre of the Harrow Borough box, the Broafields midfielder would hit a decent effort over on the half-volley. Then a couple of minutes later, in the 14th minute of the game, Broadfields would retake the lead. A couple of moments after David Levy had chased the ball down on the left flank, the Broadfields striker would cross the ball towards Lord Mansoh, inside of the Harrow box. His volleyed effort on goal was really well parried away by the Harrow goalkeeper, Oliver Cannon. Then straight after that chance David Levy would get to the ball just over 20 yards out from the goal, before curling a low effort in to the bottom right-hand corner of the goal, with great accuracy on his effort, 2-1.

Straight after the resumption of play, following that second goal for Broadfields, David Levy would receive Lord Mansoh’s short pass on the right-hand side of the Harrow penalty area. The Broadfields centre-forward’s effort from an acute angle was well saved and closed down by Oliver Cannon, who made the save. A couple of minutes later and Lucas Millar would get to a long lofted pass in behind of the Broadfields defence and on the edge of their box. Millar would progress the ball just inside of the penalty area, before seeing his looping effort go over the Broadfields goalkeeper (Lincon Marques) before the goalkeeper had gathered the ball after it had hit his right-hand post.

There continued to be a lot of chances being created, as the first half went on. Some really good close ball control from Dickson Owusu on the byline and inside of the Harrow box, would result in him playing a short pass across to Dillon Gordon, whose first time effort from close range was excellently parried by the alert Oliver Cannon. However, at the opposite end of the pitch soon after, Harrow Borough would draw level for the second time in this game. Lucas Millar would get to the ball some 20 or so yards out from the Broadfields goal, before cutting inside with the ball on to his right foot and curling an unstoppable effort in to the top right-hand corner of the goal, 2-2.

Harrow Borough were having a really good spell in the game by this point of the first half. A good counter with the ball from the away side would result in Lucas Millar passing the ball to across to Jack Allen, who was just inside of the home team’s box. But, his low effort on goal was well pushed behind by Lincon Marques. Despite going close to taking the lead in the tie just a couple of minutes earlier, Harrow Borough did manage to do just that very soon after. A long kick upfield would bounce through to Jack Allen in behind of the Broadfields defence and to the left-hand side of their box. From inside the penalty area Jack Allen would power a low effort beyond the goalkeeper and in to his goal, 2-3.

Towards the latter stages of the first half, and after controlling the ball well, David Levy would see his defected effort from between 20 to 25 yards out, go narrowly wide of the Harrow goal. And the final chance, on the stroke of half-time, would see Harrow player Harry Gallagher’s whipped free-kick effort from the edge of the Broadfields box, be well parried by Lincon Marques in the Broadfields goal. The home side would start the second half of this game really well, and they came close to making it 3-3 during the opening minutes of the second half. With Gabriel Piorkowski getting to a low and well delivered cross towards the back post of the Harrow goal. His volleyed effort would however, whistle just wide of the goalkeeper’s left-hand post.

After going close to making it 3-3 very early on in the second half, Broadfields did go on to draw level, a short time after. Some great work from Lord Mansoh to take the ball forwards down the right-hand side of the pitch, would result in his low cross towards the path of Rhys Ellis inside of the Harrow box, being well side-footed in to the bottom left-hand corner of the goal, 3-3. The momentum was with Broadfields, as they pushed for a fourth goal. Following a skilful run through the middle of the pitch by Lord Mansoh, he would power an effort narrowly over the Harrow goal, from over 25 yards out. And then in the 68th minute of the game, Broadfields did manage to retake the lead once again.

For what turned out to be the winning goal of the tie, a nice move would see Gabriel Piorkowski receive the ball in Harrow’s final third, before playing a short pass in to the feet of Dickson Owusu, who quickly flicked the ball on to David Levy on the edge of the penalty area. David Levy would then take the ball just inside of the box, and one versus one with the goalkeeper he would calmly slot the ball in to the bottom right-hand corner of the goal, 4-3. The game would become exceptionally difficult for the visitors after they had a man sent off, in substitute Prince Mbengui, for a deemed high boot challenge on a Broadfields player. And then not long after, at all, Harrow Borough had another player sent off, as Harry Gallagher was shown a straight red card for a foul on David Levy.

A late counter from Broadfields, who were trying to make sure of their win, would see Lincon Marques throw the ball out to Lord Mansoh on the left flank. The skilful Broadfields winger would drive forwards with the ball at pace, before taking it into the left-hand side of the Harrow box, and then hitting an effort narrowly over their goal. This was a highly eventful cup tie, which was played at a really good pace and intensity for so much of the game. It was a great game of cup football, between two very good sides in their respective leagues. I thought that overall, it was Broadfields who deserved to progress in to the next round of this prestigious competition. They played some really good football, against a very good Harrow Borough side, creating so many chances on the night. They played their football fearlessly, with good variety to their play.

For Harrow Borough, I thought that their player of the match was Lucas Millar, with Jack Allen also a contender. For my overall player of the match award on Tuesday, there were a number of players who I could have chosen. Lord Mansoh, Rhys Ellis, Gabriel Piorkowski, Mohammed Dabo, Lucas Millar and Dickson Owusu, were all contenders. However, David Levy lead the line for Broadfields ever so well during his time on the pitch, working tirelessly for the team. The centre-forward scored two well taken goals and he also won a penalty. He was my player of the match tonight.