Non-League and Academy football writer

In what was both side’s final Essex Alliance Football League Senior Division fixture of the 2025/26 season, Waltham Forest Borough faced Ryan FC at Parsloes Park Hub on Friday night. Halil Hassan’s Waltham Forest Borough side started this game in third place in the Senior Division standings, after 29 league matches played. After 29 league matches played, Eny Okoro’s Ryan FC side started this game in 11th place in the league table. Waltham Forest Borough would win this league fixture 2-1.

Waltham Forest Borough would start this game well. And after Jonas Borges’ low effort from the edge of the Ryan penalty area, had gone narrowly wide across goalkeeper Beniamin Szubski’s goal, it was the home side who would get the opening goal of the game. With Michael Alfred getting to a good, lofted pass inside the Ryan penalty area, and one versus one with the goalkeeper he would lob the ball into the goal, 1-0.

Ryan did manage to creat a couple of decent openings, against a good and well organised Waltham Forest Borough defence, as well as seeing Omar Dacas’ corner-kick hit the top of their crossbar. But, before half-time Waltham Forest Borough would add a second goal to their tally for the evening. Michael Alfred would win the ball off a Ryan defender following a long ball to their final third. The Waltham Forest Borough player would then take the ball to the edge of the penalty area, before finishing low into the goal, 2-0.

Early on in the second half of this game in east London, hardworking Waltham Forest Borough forward Jonas Borges would do well to get to a long ball inside the away team’s penalty area. Jonas Borges would see his low effort on goal be well saved by the feet of Beniamin Szubski, before getting to the ball again on the follow-up, where his low effort would go across the face of the goal.

Ryan FC would grow into the game more during the second half. Impressive substitute Ayibakuro Kwomo was showing his quality with the ball out on the left flank. Next, and after receiving the ball out on the left flank, the Ryan FC player would cross the ball into the centre of the Borough penalty area, finding Omar Dacas, whose headed effort would go low into the goal, for his eighth goal of the season, 2-1. This goal gave Ryan FC some good momentum during the latter stages of the game. The visiting side did manage to create one late, good chance. As Harley Cass’s low ball across the penalty area was met by Patrik Ohawke, who from close range and at the back post of the goal, would powerfully hit the ball over the goal.

This was a game in which Waltham Forest Borough did enough to win, against a youthful Ryan side who got better as the game went on, and who were pushing for a late equaliser. For Ryan FC, I thought that two of their standout players from this game were Ayibakuro Kwomo and Oliver Webdale. With my player of the match award being won by the scorer of both Waltham Forest Borough goals, Michael Alfred. Waltham Forest Borough have an important Senior Division Cup final to contest next Thursday evening, against CSM London at Dagenham & Redbridge FC.