Non-League and Academy football writer

Unbeaten in the Essex Senior League after ten matches played, the leagues second place club Soul Tower Hamlets, faced Saffron Walden Town at Mile End Stadium on Wednesday night, in an Essex Senior League fixture. Saffron Walden Town started this league fixture in seventh place in the league standings, after ten league matches played. This step 5 match was won 2-1 by Saffron Walden Town.

Soul Tower Hamlets would take the lead in the fifth minute of the match. From a corner-kick, Steven Carvell’s good delivery to the back post, was volleyed back across goal by a teammate, to Garrett Kelly, who hit the ball high into the goal, courtesy of a good finish, 1-0. Saffron Walden Town would soon respond, however. Shortly after they had created a decent chance which lead to a corner-kick for the away side, in the 12th minute of this match they would draw level. A good corner-kick delivery to the centre of the box was punched partially clear by Soul THFC’s goalkeeper, Sidi Bakhai Haidara. However, the ball came to Saffron Walden player Jack Clarke, who did well to loop the ball into the goal on the volley, 1-1.

Saffron Walden would start to become the more creative side, in a first half of not very many goalscoring chances. After Saffron Walden forward Kaleel Green had met a good lofted forward pass in behind of the Soul THFC defence, he was met by the outrushing Sidi Bakhai Haidara, on the edge of the penalty area, who did very well to win the ball off him. Just before half-time Saffron Walden came close to taking the lead. With Jordan Gent getting to a loose ball in a bit of space in the centre of the Soul THFC penalty area, before side-footing a low effort narrowly wide of Sidi Bakhai Haidara’s left-hand post.

During the early stages of the second half, Steven Carvell’s free-kick delivery from the right-hand side of the pitch, was met by Georges Kebi in the centre of the Saffron Walden box. Georges Kebi’s resulting headed effort on goal was gathered by the Saffron Walden goalkeeper, George Coton. Saffron Walden were awarded a penalty soon afterwards, following a foul on the left-hand side of the Soul THFC box. Salim Nassor would clinically find the bottom right-hand corner of the goal from the penalty spot, 1-2.

After Saffron Walden had taken the lead in this game, Soul THFC would really push for an equaliser. However, with it continuing to rain heavily, the conditions were very difficult for both sides. The home team did go on to create two further goalscoring chances during the latter stages of the game, with Saffron Walden Town defending their penalty area really well. Firstly, and after Rian Patel had met a long diagonal pass towards the left-hand side of the Saffron Walden penalty area, he would hit a low effort wide of the goal. And then soon after that chance, Soul THFC came very close to making it 2-2, after Nick Bell’s deflected cross to the back post of the Saffron Walden goal had found Georges Kebi, whose powerful headed effort on goal was somehow kept out by George Coton, who made a superb save. 

This was a game which was played for the most part in very difficult rainy conditions. However, it was Saffron Walden Town who became the first team in the Essex Senior League to beat Soul THFC in the league this season, in what was a great win for them, as they defended their 2-1 lead well. For my player of the match award on Wednesday, I was impressed with the performance of Saffron Walden Town defender Henry Mabassa, who was part of a very well organised Saffron Walden defence. And Henry Mabassa was my player of the match.