Non-League and Academy football writer

On Sunday morning at Westlands Playing Fields, Warren Senior faced East London Ballers Reserves, in an Essex Sunday Corinthian Football League Division Two fixture. Warren Senior started this league fixture in third place in the table, after 15 league matches played. East London Ballers Reserves started this game in second place in the table, three points off the league leaders Singh Sabha Barking, but with three games in hand over them. East London Ballers Reserves would win this league game 5-1 on the day, to move up to first place in the table.

Played on a cool morning in east London, it was Warren Senior who managed the first attempt on goal of the game. With their number 20’s whipped free-kick effort, from the edge of the away team’s box, having to be smartly turned behind by East London Ballers Reserves goalkeeper Jack Webb, who got across well. However, East London Ballers Reserves would soon start to dominate the game. And an early goal for the Division Two title challengers would follow. As striker Junior Milla did well to hold off a Warren defender on the edge of their penalty area, before playing a short through-ball pass towards Oluwatayo Felstead, who from just in behind of the Warren defence, would receive the ball inside of their box. Oluwatayo Felstead would then finish low beyond the goalkeeper, into the bottom left-hand corner of his goal, 0-1.

East London Ballers Reserves were pressing the Warren defence well, and their movement off the ball in forward areas was good. They would soon double their advantage in this game courtesy of a fine header from Marquez Cadette. With the East London Ballers defender meeting the ball inside the Warren penalty area, from Mohammed Bhayat’s accurate free-kick delivery from out on the right-hand side of the pitch. And Marquez Cadette’s powerful header gave the goalkeeper no chance of saving the ball, as it went past him at pace, 0-2.

Mohammed Bhayat was making a really good impression on the game from midfield, impressing with his range of passing. He was involved in the build-up play for East London Ballers Reserves’ third goal of the game, as they extended their lead further before half-time. The midfielder’s lovely curling lofted forward pass was met by Junior Milla, who chased the ball down well inside of the Warren box, keeping it in well by the byline, to then play the ball across goal. Finding Camron Coley, who finished low into the goal from close range, after getting to the ball just ahead of the goalkeeper, 0-3. Just before half-time, Warren Senior managed to get a goal back in the game.

There were big appeals from the players on the visiting team for a foul in the build-up to Warren’s only goal of the game. However, their number ten would play a lofted ball from out on the left flank, across Jack Webb’s goal. The East London Ballers goalkeeper did ever so well to keep the ball out of his goal, before then making a fine stop to stop Warren’s number 19 from scoring from close range. But, at the third time of asking, Warren did score. With their number 27 tapping the ball into the goal from close range, 1-3.

Early on in the second half, and Warren Senior’s number 27’s acrobatic overhead kick effort inside the East London Ballers box, was well kept out by Jack Webb. Managing their lead well, and despite playing against the wind during the second half, East London Ballers Reserves would continue to play their football well as a team. Their fourth goal of the game would soon follow, as after Camron Coley had his shirt pulled inside of the Warren box, the referee pointed to the penalty spot. With Razat Rahman finishing well, into the bottom right-hand corner of the goal from the penalty spot, 1-4.

East London Ballers Reserves would finish the game strongly, adding a fifth goal to their tally late on. However, firstly, and Mohammed Bhayat’s powerful first time effort after getting to a rolling ball (around 20 yards out from goal) would be deflected narrowly wide off a defender. But, for their fifth and final goal of the game, substitute Mohammed Malik would receive Marauez Cadette’s pass on the edge of the Warren box. Having done really well to skilfully progress the ball around a defender down the left-hand side of the penalty area, his resulting powerful low finish was emphatic, to the bottom right-hand corner of the goal, 1-5.

Very late on in the game, East London Ballers substitute Anthony Obinkwo would go on a good, surging forward run down the right-hand side of the home team’s box, before seeing his powerful effort be really well turned over his goal by the Warren goalkeeper. In the end and overall it was a very strong performance from the talented East London Ballers Reserves, who played their football really well I thought, as a team, against a good team in Warren Senior (I thought that their number 27 was their player of the match).

After providing an assist, scoring a goal, and putting in a strong defensive performance at full-back, East London Ballers Reserves youngster Marquez Cadette was my player of the match on Sunday. He had a very good game for the league leaders. Also, special mentions must also go to Mohammed Bhayat, Razat Rahman, Jack Webb, and Junior Milla (the forward had a fine game during the first half), for their respective performances on the day, in what was a strong team performance. Finally, thank you very much to East London Ballers Reserves and Hashim, for his welcome and help at the game.