Non-League and Academy football writer

East London Ballers, of the Essex Sunday Corinthian Football League Senior Division, faced Kenningwell United (in a first round tie of this seasons London Sunday Challenge Cup), of the Orpington & Bromley District Sunday Football League Premier Division, on early Sunday afternoon at Parsloes Park Hub. Both sides are in first place (after four matches played) of their respective leagues/divisions, and in what promised to be a really competitive cup tie between two great sides, it was East London Ballers who progressed into round two of this competition, with a 2-1 win on Sunday.

This cup tie got off to a very good start. Very early on in the tie and Kenningwell United would create a brilliant chance from which to take the lead from. Tayo Ajayi would get to a back pass from an East London Ballers player, and through on goal after taking the ball to the edge of the home team’s penalty area, his low effort would go just wide of the goalkeeper’s left-hand post. Then, very soon after, East London Ballers would take the lead. Their goalkeeper, Raven Consta’s long kick upfield would find Keanu Hill on the right-hand side of the Kenningwell United penalty area, and despite being under pressure, Hill’s excellent looping effort on goal would loop over the away team’s goalkeeper, and into his goal, 1-0.

There was a good intensity and pace to this cup tie during its early stages, with both sides competing well, although it was the home side who were looking the more likely side to score the next goal of the game. After a bit of a wait for the next goalscoring chance, the influential Steven Carvell would play a lofted pass out to Nodirbek Bobomurodov, and after he had taken the ball in from the right-hand side of the pitch, after cutting inside with the ball, his powerful low effort on goal was turned behind by the goalkeeper, Nathan Edwards, at his near post. A couple of minutes later and Kenningwell United midfielder Adam Allen would hit a low effort on the East London Ballers goal from distance, which was gathered by their goalkeeper, Raven Consta.

Late on in the first half Kenningwell United managed to draw level. As the result of a counter forward with the ball following a corner-kick for the home side, Adam Allen would receive the ball, and after taking it forward from midfield, he would play a good through-ball pass towards the run of Tayo Ajayi. Now in behind of the East London Ballers defence, and from right on the edge of their penalty area, his excellent curling finish would nestle into the right-hand corner of the goal, 1-1. Just before half-time East London Ballers forward Jordan Burnett would get to a lofted pass inside of the away team’s penalty area. Following some good skill on the left-hand side of the box, his powerful low effort was well kept out by the feet of Nathan Edwards, at his near post.

Kenningwell United would start the second half of the game well. A good move from the away side would result in Nathaniel Adasanya receiving the ball some 30 yards out from goal, and after turning well with the ball beyond an opposing team’s player, he would play a good forward pass on the floor to the run of Taurean Roberts, down the left-hand side of the home side’s penalty area. Taurean Roberts’ resulting powerful low effort would go narrowly wide, across the face of the goal. A good defensive intervention (inside of the penalty area) from East London Ballers defender Shaun Joseph would follow, before there was a bit of a wait for the next real chance of the tie, in this very competitive contest.

The next chance of the game came the way of East London Ballers, and it would prove to be decisive. Impressive East London Ballers player Joseph Alatise would play the ball across to Nodirbek Bobomurodov (his Saturday team is step 3 side Cray Wanderers) who in a more central position and from 20 yards out, would power a low effort on goal. His effort would take a slight deflection off of a defender, before finding the bottom right-hand corner of the goal, 2-1. A clever move from Kenningwell United would follow, soon after the resumption of play, as they looked to react immediately during the latter stages of the tie. Amari Kpodo would play a forward pass in behind of the East London Ballers defence, and towards the run of substitute Charlie Heathly, on the right-hand side of their box. He would then play the ball across the face of the goal, to the onrushing Nathaniel Adasanya, at the back post. However, his first time effort would go over the goal.

East London Ballers would manage the remainder of this cup tie really well and effectively, against a very good Kenningwell United side. The home side would create one further chance, and it would arrive as the result of another clever passing move. It ended with Jordan Burnett passing the ball across to Nodirbek Bobomurodov, on the right-hand side of the Kenningwell United box. From there and after skilfully working the ball and the space beyond a defender, his powerful and well hit effort on goal was well pushed over by Nathan Edwards. Kenningwell United would really push for a late equaliser, but East London Ballers would defend their penalty area well, to stop them from getting that goal.

This was a really good contest. Both very good sides, it was East London Ballers (they kept the ball really well at important moments in the game) who got the win today, and after a very good performance in the first half from them, Kenningwell United would, after getting that equaliser during the latter stages of the first half, look to really build on that, and try and take the lead in the game early on in the second half. However, some excellent game management from East London Ballers as well as a fine winner from Nodirbek Bobomurodov, would help them to progress into round two of this prestigious competition.

For Kenningwell United, who are a very well organised side, I thought that their captain, Taurean Roberts, Tayo Ajayi, Adam Allen, and Nasereldene Crespo, were some of their best performers on the day. For my player of the match award on Sunday, I’m going to award it to East London Ballers’ central-defender Shaun Joseph, after a really good defensive performance alongside the vastly experienced Clayton Afonso. Also, Steven Carvell (he used the ball as impressively as ever, making some fine long passes), Keanu Hill (he had a very good game at right-back) and Nodirbek Bobomurodov, were some of East London Ballers’ best players from this game and on the day.