Non-League and Academy football writer

In a semi-final first leg tie of this season’s Somali British Champions League, Hilltop would beat Newmont 4-3 at the Quintin Hogg Memorial Ground on late Sunday afternoon, in what was a highly entertaining and competitive game of football. Hilltop definitely started this game the stronger of the two sides. After Newmont goalkeeper Elmi Elmi had done really well to tip a powerful, dipping effort on his goal from distance, onto his crossbar, Hilltop would then create another chance, soon after. As Hussein Mahdi’s low curling effort (from the edge of the Newmont box) was well turned behind by Elmi Elmi.

Hussein Mahdi would then hit a powerful effort over the Newmont goal, after meeting a good low cross at the back post. But, with the momentum continuing to be with Hilltop, they would eventually score the first goal of this important game. A good, quick passing move, ended with Kamaal Nur playing the ball across from the left-hand side of the Newmont box, to Jibril Mahdi, who finished low and confidently into the goal, from inside of the penalty area, having made a good run forward, 1-0. However, Newmont would respond just before half-time, despite Hilltop having been the better team during the first half. With Mohammed Ali powering a header home from inside of the Hilltop box, after meeting Nouri Mohammed’s good, clipped cross from out wide, 1-1.

Hilltop would start the second well, quickly retaking the lead. As following a corner-kick delivery into the Newmont box, Shuaib Ali would finish from very close range into the goal, after getting the ball after a deflection, 2-1. But, once again Newmont would react well as a team. The impressive Mahmud Hussein would receive a short pass down the left-hand side of the Hilltop box. After skilfully skipping past a defender, before finishing high and powerfully into Cain McGrath-Brown’s goal. Yet, not long afterwards, and in a game which continued to pick up  pace and intensity, Hilltop would make it 3-2. With Hussein Mahdi finishing powerfully beyond Elmi Elmi at his near post from the left-hand side of the Newmont penalty area, 3-2.

After Cain McGrath-Brown had made a good save to keep out a powerful Newmont free-kick effort on his goal from distance, Mahmud Hussein would then progress the ball nicely into the Hilltop box, before hitting a low outside of the boot effort narrowly wide of their goal. Newmont continued to play well as a team, as the second half progressed, in what was a much improved second half performance from them. After having a third goal of the game ruled out for a Hilltop handball inside of their penalty area, a penalty would be awarded to Newmont for that Hilltop handball. And Mahmud Hussein would calmly finish low into the goal from the penalty spot, to make it 3-3.

Yet it was Hilltop who would finish the game that bit stronger than Newmont, with the home side crucially going on to score a late winner. The impressive Jibril Mahdi would this time provide the assist, having delivered a good lofted ball into the centre of the Newmont penalty area. From where Kamaal Nur would do well to just glance the ball into the goal, off of Elmi Elmi’s left-hand post, 4-3. A good, competitive game of football, which Newmont did very well in, showing good character to get back into the game, after a difficult start. It was the reigning SBCL champions, Hilltop, who went on to get a very important win going into the second leg.

For Newmont, I personally thought that their player of the match on Sunday, was Mahmud Hussein. And despite competition from Kamaal Nur, who scored two goals and provided one assist, my overall player of the match was Hilltop’s left-back Jibril Mahdi. He provided an assist and scored a goal, in what was a really well balanced performance from him. Jibril Mahdi got forward really well from left-back.