Non-League and Academy football writer

In an Essex Sunday Corinthian Football League Senior Division fixture at Fords Sport & Social on Sunday morning, the division’s second place side (after six league matches played), Brook Athletic, faced East London Ballers, who were in third place in the table, after four league matches played. It was East London Ballers who would win this match 2-0, as they continue to be in the title race going into their final three league matches of this season.

East London Ballers would take an early lead in this important match on Sunday. With a good, lofted free-kick delivery from out on the right-hand side of the pitch finding the run of Eric Koduah, in behind the Brook Athletic defence. And from the edge of the penalty area, he would accurately lob the ball over the outrushing goalkeeper and into the goal, 0-1. In what was proving to be quite an open game of football, with both sides creating some good openings early on, it was Brook Athletic who would create the next chance of the game, before the visitors countered forward with the ball at pace. As Zivonimir Lopes’ powerful effort from the edge of the penalty area, had rebounded off Obaid Nasim’s crossbar.

Following that East London Ballers counter, Khris Oti would take the ball down the left-hand side of the Brook Athletic penalty area, before seeing his low effort across the face of goal, clip the goalkeeper’s left-hand post. Shortly after Brook Athletic had an effort (from inside the away team’s penalty area) cleared off the goal-line by an East London Ballers player, the defending Senior Division champions came close to making it 2-0 before half-time.

William Betts, the Brook Athletic goalkeeper, would make a superb save to somehow stop and get a hand to Samir Bihmoutine’s powerful effort across his goal, following a clever, looped pass towards the penalty area. During the opening stages of the second half, William Betts would make another impressive stop, this time to push over Eric Koduah’s powerful effort on his goal, after receiving Khris Oti’s ball one versus one inside of the Brook Athletic penalty area.

Having made a good start to the second half of this competitive game, East London Ballers would, a couple of minutes after Montel Shalders-Gayle had reached a good diagonal pass out on the right-hand side of the pitch, before hitting a low effort narrowly wide from inside the box, go on to make it 2-0. And what a goal it was! As David Sangolo had met a lofted ball forwards down the left flank, before cutting inside and whipping an exquisite effort (from over 30 yards out) over the goalkeeper and high into the Brook Athletic goal, 0-2.

The home side tried to react well to conceding that second goal of the game. But, after Michael Osei had hit a low effort (from the left-hand side of the East London Ballers box) which was turned behind by Obaid Nasim, the visiting team would come close to making it 3-0. The influential Samir Bihmoutine’s good, clipped first time pass from midfield, would find the run of impressive centre-forward Khris Oti. After running in behind the Brook Athletic defence, he would take the ball into the penalty area. However, he was very unlucky with his resulting effort, as the ball bobbled up just before he had hit the ball narrowly wide, across goal.

Following on from Obaid Nasim’s good stop from Yannis Mengou’s powerful effort on his goal and at his near post (from the left-hand side of the East London Ballers box), a good Brook Athletic move would follow. With Andre Embalo’s good outside of the boot cross from out on the right-hand side of the pitch, finding Shomari Barnwell at the back post. However, the Brook Athletic forward’s headed effort would go just wide, from close range. 

For his movement/work off the ball, creativity and clever link-up play in the final third, Samir Bihmoutine was my player of the match today, and he came close to getting what would have been a deserved late goal. Having run onto Steven Carvell’s well weighted, curling pass from midfield, Samir Bihmoutine’s powerful low effort from inside the Brook Athletic penalty area, would be well saved by the feet of William Betts. 

In a game which was played between two very good Senior Division sides, it was an East London Ballers side, who managed this game and their lead, well, to record a hugely important three points, in their quest for back to back Senior Division titles. All in all though, this was a good game of many goalscoring chances.