Non-League and Academy football writer

Haringey Borough Reserves faced Ryan FC at Coles Park on Friday night, in this Essex Alliance Football League Senior Division fixture. Haringey Borough Reserves started this league fixture in eighth place in the Senior Division standings, after 23 league matches played. Ryan FC started this game in 11th place in the league table, after 20 matches played. This fixture at Coles Park last season, which was between Haringey Borough Reserves and Walthamstow Reserves, as they were known then, would finish in a 2-2 draw. And once again it would finish in a competitive 2-2 draw, on Friday night, between these two sides.

Haringey Borough Reserves started this game the better of the two sides, in my opinion. Following on from an early, whipped free-kick delivery (from out on the right-hand side of the pitch) by Jonnie Lilley, the ball would find Haringey Borough player Oscar Cameron’s run across the Ryan box, as the midfielder’s flicked, volleyed effort went over the goal. Yet, not very long after that Haringey Borough chance, and the home side would take the lead.

For the opening goal of the game, very experienced Haringey defender, Scott Mitchell, would meet Luke Von Herkomer’s corner-kick delivery into the Ryan penalty area, before powering a fine header beyond the goalkeeper and into the goal, 1-0. Eny Okoro’s Ryan FC side did respond well to Haringey taking the lead in this contest. A good move would follow for the visiting side, before they managed to draw level in the game. A good Ryan FC move, which was started by central midfielder Oliver Webdale, would result in Jack Back and Omar Dacas exchanging passes, with the former then receiving the ball down the left-hand side of the Haringey box. And Jack Back’s powerful effort would have to be turned behind by the Haringey Borough goalkeeper, Lee Haylock.

Soon after Ryan had taken their corner-kick, and Bilel Benyoucef managed to get on the ball, in a bit of space and from around 23 yards out on goal. What followed from the very creative Ryan winger, was a superb, powerful effort with a lot of movement on the ball, which found the left-hand side of the home team’s goal, 1-1. The pace of this game had certainly increased, and it was now proving to be a highly competitive contest. Shortly after Luke Von Herkomer had got to the ball down the right-hand side of the Ryan box, he would hit a low effort which went narrowly wide, across goal, before Ryan FC came desperately close to making it 2-1.

Bilel Benyoucef would receive the ball around 30 yards out from goal, in a central position. After getting the ball out of his feet skilfully, his powerful and well hit low effort towards goal, would hit the inside of the goalkeeper’s left-hand post, before rebounding off him, as the ball was then cleared away. But, just before half-time and Haringey Borough Reserves would retake the lead. Alexander Nicolaides would run onto a forward pass down the right-hand side of the Ryan box, before powering a quite unstoppable low effort beyond Ryan’s goalkeeper, Beniamin Szubski, who had managed to make contact with the ball, and into the goal, 2-1.

Ryan FC would start the second half of this game well. After the influential Oliver Webdale had received a throw-in out on the left flank, the Ryan player would turn skilfully as he received the ball, before hitting a really good effort on the bounce (from 25 yards out) which had to be turned over his crossbar by Lee Haylock. And Bilel Benyoucef’s following, curling corner-kick would end up hitting the crossbar. This was proving to be a really good game of football. However, overall in the second half, it was Ryan FC who were looking the more likely side to get the next goal of this game.

Ryan did go on to manage and draw level in the game, once again, as the second half progressed. A nice lofted pass from Omar Dacas, across to Bilel Benyoucef, would result in Ryan’s top goalscorer this season, controlling the ball before taking it forward the short distance to the edge of the Haringey Borough penalty area. Bilel Benyoucef would then cut inside onto his left foot this time, before catching the goalkeeper by surprise, by hitting a powerful low effort into the bottom right-hand corner of the goal, 2-2.

In my opinion it was Ryan FC who were now looking the more likely of the two sides to score a late winning goal, in this good contest. After Kemar Bello had played a good pass to Bilel Benyoucef on the edge of the Haringey box, Benyoucef would take the ball forwards into the box, before whipping an effort right across the face of the goal. And the final chance of the game also came the way of the visiting side, as Ryan FC substitute Ayibakuro Kwomo had received a forward pass down the left-hand side of the home teams’ penalty area, before hitting a low effort narrowly wide of Lee Haylock’s left-hand post, across goal.

I personally thought that this was a game of two halves, with Haringey Borough Reserves being the better/more creative team during the first half, and then Ryan FC played ever so well during the second half, in what was a fine game of football, with both teams having to settle for a point. For Haringey Borough Reserves, experienced central-defender during this game, Scott Mitchell, Luke Von Herkomer, and Alexander Nicolaides, were all contenders for the player of the match award. As were influential Ryan FC players Oliver Webdale and Bilel Benyoucef. However, my player of the match award goes to Bilel Benyoucef for his two fine goals and all-round performance. He was unfortunate not to have got a hat-trick on Friday. Finally, special mentions for Ryan defenders, Kamal Scott-Mahoney and Chamario Hemley, who were also contenders for my player of the match award.