Non-League and Academy football writer

Wood Lane faced Jolof Sports on Saturday afternoon at London Tigers Sports Complex, on the final day of the 2025/26 Middlesex County Football League Premier Division season. Wood Lane started this game in 11th place in the Premier Division standings, after 31 league matches played. Jolof Sports started this game two places lower than Wood Lane in the league table, after the same amount of matches played. Jolof Sports would win an eventful game of football 5-3.

Jolof Sports would start this game positively, and ten minutes into the match, Jolof Sports would score the opening goal. As Ebrima Cham’s well weighted through-ball pass was met by the run of Omosheni Oshodi-Atinmo, in behind the Wood Lane defence and in a central position. Oshodi-Atinmo would take the ball inside the Wood Lane penalty area, before curling a low effort beyond the goalkeeper and into the goal, 0-1.

Before making it 2-0, Jolof Sports would create a couple of additional chances. For their second goal of the afternoon, a Jolof Sports player would switch the play really well from the right-hand side of the pitch, to Kaine Flemy on the left flank, who would take the ball forward into the penalty area, before finishing low into the goal with an excellent finish, 0-2. And soon after play had resumed, Jolof Sports would further extend their lead. As Ebrima Cham’s low whipped effort from 25 yards out, would go past the Wood Lane goalkeeper and into his goal, 0-3. 

After Wood Lane goalkeeper, Mazharul Ahmed had made a good save from Mouhamed Sall’s effort one versus one inside the home team’s penalty area, Wood Lane would start to improve before half-time. And after Mush Afzle had worked the space well on the edge of the Jolof Sports box, he would curl an effort narrowly wide, across the face of their goal. A couple of minutes later, Jay Hines’ long ball forward would catch the high-line of Jolof Sports out. Allowing Abdul Rahman Said Ahmed to take the ball quite a distance into the away team’s penalty area, where through on goal, his low effort was saved by the feet of the goalkeeper. However, just before half-time, Wood Lane player Abdullahi Abdullahi would be shown his second yellow card of the game, as he was sent off by the referee.

Jolof Sports started the second half in fine form, quickly adding a further two goals to their tally for the afternoon. The high-line of Wood Lane allowed Kaine Flemy to get to a through-ball pass in behind the defence. Showing some good pace as he took the ball into the home team’s box, Kaine Flemy would then round the goalkeeper skilfully, before tapping the ball into the goal from close range, 0-4. Straight after that goal, and the impressive Anas Zahid would score the goal of the game. Skilfully surging forward with the ball from midfield, before entering the Wood Lane penalty area, and taking the ball around the goalkeeper and finishing low into the goal, 0-5.

Wood Lane would, after a difficult ten minute spell in the game, go on to respond positively as a team. Yusuf Khalaf would do well to curl a powerful low free-kick effort (from the edge of the Jolof Sports box) around the away side’s wall, and into the bottom right-hand corner of their goal, 1-5. And then around five minutes later, Omar Dirow’s clever and quickly taken free-kick from the edge of the Jolof Sports box, would find Jay Hines down the left-hand side of the box, from where he tucked the ball into the goal with a good first time finish, 2-5. But, soon after scoring that goal, Jay Hines would be shown a straight red card for a foul on a Jolof Sports player.

Despite being down to nine men out on the pitch, Wood Lane still showed good character, and before the final whistle had been sounded, they would get their third goal of the game. It was a second goal of the afternoon for the clinical Yusuf Khalaf, who was assisted by Moustafa Sa’ad, who would play the ball across to Yusuf Khalaf on the edge of the Jolof Sports box, following the awarding of an indirect free-kick. And the experienced Wood Lane player would finish low into the goal, from his low whipped effort, 3-5.

This was quite a good game of football, earlier today. Jolof Sports were deserved winners, with their skilful left winger Kaine Flemy (he scored two goals) winning my player of the match award, but Wood Lane didn’t give up, even with nine players out on the pitch in the second half. Special mentions also for the excellent and highly influential Anas Zahid, Ebrima Cham, and my Wood Lane player of the match, Yusuf Khalaf, on their performances. Today brings an end to the 2025/26 Middlesex County Football League Premier Division season. What a pleasure it has been to cover the league’s Premier Division on my blog, once again throughout this season.