Non-League and Academy football writer

Hilltop (Midweek) faced Tawfiiq FC on Wednesday evening at Market Road Pitches, in a Premier Division fixture of the Islington Midweek Football League. Hilltop started this fixture in third place (after seven league matches played) in the Premier Division standings. Tawfiiq FC started this game in eighth place in the Premier Division table, after six league matches played. It was Tawfiiq FC who won this match, 6-3.

Tawfiiq started this game well, and after an early effort from inside of the Hilltop penalty area, had been saved by their goalkeeper (Hansel Coelio), Tawfiiq would take an early lead in the match. Arif Bala would find the back of the net from the penalty spot in clinical fashion, after a Hilltop defender had handled the ball inside of the penalty area, 0-1. Soon after play had resumed again, Tawfiiq would double their lead in this game.

For Tawfiiq’s second goal of the game Abdirahman Mohamed would receive the ball close to 25 yards out from goal. He would then show superb close ball control, as he surged forward with the ball past several Hilltop players, as he progressed it into the left-hand side of their penalty area. Abdirahman Mohamed would then calmly finish low into the bottom right-hand corner of the goal, 0-2. Hilltop did manage to quickly get a goal back in the game, however, in this eventful start to the game.

For Hilltop’s first goal of the evening, a long, lofted free-kick from out on the left flank, wasn’t quite gathered by the Tawfiiq goalkeeper, and at the back post a Hilltop player would play the ball across goal to Nadeer Kahssay, who finished into the goal from close range, 1-2. There was to be another two goals before half-time, with the pace of this game continuing to pick up further. For Tawfiiq’s third goal of the game, Mohamed Nur would cleverly leave a short pass for Caleb Mensah inside the centre of the Hilltop penalty area. And from there Caleb Mensah would finish low into the Hilltop goal, 1-3.

Tawfiiq continued to move the ball around really well during the remainder of the first half. Arif Bala would, a couple of minutes after going on a skilful run into the left-hand side of the Hilltop box, where his powerful effort on goal was parried away by the goalkeeper, go on to make it 4-1 for Tawfiiq. Following Caleb Mensahs’s good whipped low cross towards the back post of the Hilltop goal, from out on the right-hand side of the pitch, the ball was met by the ghosting run of Arif Bala at the back post. And he would finish both accurately and powerfully into the goal with an empathic first time finish, 1-4. Things became even more difficult for Hilltop just before half-time, as one of their players was shown a straight red card following a foul on a Tawfiiq player.

During the relatively early stages of the second half and Tawfiiq would extend their lead further. Arif Bala’s fine outside of the boot pass from midfield, would find the run of Said Yusuf, who from the left-hand side of the Hilltop penalty area, he would finish into the bottom right-hand corner of the goal, 1-5. Hilltop would compete well during the second half, considering that they had ten players out on the pitch. After Hilltop player Salman Abdullahi’s powerful low free-kick effort from 25 yards out on the Tawfiiq goal had been well parried away the Tawfiiq goalkeeper, Ahmed Omer, Tawfiiq would soon make it 6-1.

For their sixth goal of the game, Tawfiiq player Dario De Luca would sprint forwards at pace with the ball, taking it into the right-hand side of the Hilltop penalty area, before finishing low and clinically beyond the goalkeeper, 1-6. Hilltop did go on to score two late consolation goals, however, in what was a good end to the game from them. Their second goal of the game was also scored by Nadeer Kahssay, a couple of moments after seeing his effort from inside of the Tawffiq box be parried away by Ahmed Omer, he would go on to receive the ball once again inside of the penalty area. And this time the Hilltop striker would finish low and powerfully into the goal, 2-6.

Very late on in this game a low Hilltop effort from just outside of the Tawfiiq penalty area, would be flicked into the goal (inside of the box) by Nadeer Kahssay (he was Hilltop’s best player from this game) for his hat-trick goal. Tawfiiq were very good both in and out of possession of the ball, against Hilltop. The game was effectively over at half-time, but they kept on going, and they played some superb passing football. However, Hilltop also kept on going during the second half, and to their credit they made it more of a competitive game, with Nadeer Kahssay scoring two further goals during the second half.

With two goals, one assist and an excellent all-round performance, Tawfiiq player Arif Bala was my player of the match on Wednesday. Playing off the left flank, in forward areas of the pitch Arif Bala would make it very difficult for Hilltop to stop him from creating chances, as well as getting on the end of crosses. His pace and unpredictable dribbling style was also very effective. Additionally, in this really fine team performance from Tawfiiq, I thought that Caleb Mensah and Abdirahman Mohamed were also contenders for the player of the match award.