Non-League and Academy football writer

Ongar Town faced CSM London on Friday night at Wodson Park (Ware FC), in an Essex Alliance Football League Senior Division fixture. After seven league matches played Ongar Town are the league leaders in the Senior Division. CSM London started this game in seventh place in the league table, after seven league matches played. This league fixture was won 2-1 by Ongar Town.

CSM London would start this game well. Early on in the match and a good lofted ball from out on the right-hand side of the pitch by Luke McElroy, would find the run of Junior Milla, in behind of the Ongar defence. The CSM forward did well to get to the ball, and from the edge of the penalty area his good looping effort would hit the Ongar goalkeeper’s right-hand post. A couple of minutes later Ongar Town player Richmond Eghoki would make an excellent and very important sliding challenge on Junior Milla, shortly after the CSM player had received a pass in a good area of the Ongar penalty area.

Ongar Town would start to create some goalscoring chances, as the first half progressed, although CSM were still playing their football well. Vastly experienced CSM defender Ashley King would make an impressive block, following Mohamed Abubakar’s powerful effort from the left-hand side of the CSM box. Ongar Town would finish the first half of this game really well, going on to score two goals in quick succession.

For Ongar Town’s first goal of the game (on 36 minutes), a fine lofted free-kick delivery from out on the right-hand side of the pitch, would find a teammate at the back post of the CSM goal. His looping header would go across the face of the goal, as Yuki Edogiawerie was able to turn the ball into the goal from close range, doing well under pressure, 1-0. Around four minutes later and for Ongar’s second goal of the game, Max Galati’s deflected effort on goal from around 25 yards out would deflect into the centre of the CSM penalty area, with Ruben Costache finishing low into the goal, after getting on the ball, 2-0.

Early on in the second half CSM player Tyrell Huggins-Solomons would play the ball across the Ongar goal from the left-hand side of their penalty area, with Luke McElroy meeting the ball. With the Ongar goalkeeper slightly out of position, Luke McElroy’s low effort on goal was brilliantly cleared off the goal-line by Ongar defender Will Lockett. Conrad Doggett would then, around five minutes later, have a headed effort from close range (following a fine cross from Ifeanyi Umeh, into the Ongar box) be gathered by the Ongar goalkeeper, Joe Walker.

In the 61st minute of this contest, CSM London managed to get a goal back in the game. Ifeanyi Umeh would get to a lofted pass out on the left flank. Around 25 yards out from goal the CSM player would progress the ball beyond an Ongar player before taking the ball forwards to the edge of the Ongar box. From there Ifeanyi Umeh would power a low effort into the bottom right-hand corner of the Ongar goal, 2-1. Soon after play had resumed and following Tyrell Huggins-Solomons’ short pass to Junior Milla on the edge of the Ongar box, the CSM forward would hit a powerful low effort which whistled just wide of Walker’s goal.

CSM were doing well during this stage of the second half, but a very well organised Ongar Town side would soon start to create a couple of additional decent chances, as they continued to manage the game well. CSM defender Conrad Doggett would do well to clear an Ongar effort off the CSM goal-line, before Max Galati had hit a good, moving effort from distance on the CSM goal, which was well gathered by Ryan Thompson. After CSM player Junior Milla had been shown a straight red card by the referee, for something that had happened off the ball soon after, it was always going to be a difficult ask for CSM to get something from this game.

There were two further efforts (one for either side) late on in this game. And shortly after Max Galati’s whipped free-kick delivery from out on the left flank, had travelled right across the face of the CSM goal with no teammates quite able to turn the ball home, Will Brobby’s CSM side would go on to create one more goalscoring chance. With their central-defender, Conrad Doggett, seeing his dipping headed effort following a corner-kick into the Ongar box, dip just over Joe Walker’s crossbar. This was a very professional and effective performance from the top of the table side – Ongar Town. They were very well organised, they managed the game really well, and they played their football to really good effect, as well as defending impressively as a team, to get the win.

Ongar Town captain Max Galati’s all-round performance was very good on Friday. The Ongar Town midfielder covered so much ground, and he lead his teammates by examples, with him constantly talking them through the match really well. Max Galati’s reading of the game also impressed me, and he was my player of the match. Also, Ongar defender Will Lockett was another contender for my player of the match award. I thought that CSM London’s best player on Friday, was their central-defender – Ashley King.