Non-League and Academy football writer

Belstone won their opening Combined Counties Football League Division One fixture 4-0 against Spartans Youth on Saturday. Edgware & Kingsbury lost their opening game of the season 3-0, away to newly promoted side Bovingdon. Both Belstone and Edgware & Kingsbury met at The Medburn Ground on Tuesday evening, in their latest Combined Counties Football League Division One fixture. Belstone would deservedly win this game 6-0.

The first real chance of this game arrived around 30 seconds into the game. As following some good work from Edgware & Kingsbury forward Morgan Elliott-Grout, he would, from over 30 yards out, curl an effort on goal after having spotted the Belstone goalkeeper off his goal-line. However, the recovering Aram Sarkissian   would do well to tip Morgan Elliott-Grout’s dipping effort over his crossbar. However, Belstone would soon start to move the ball around well, and it wasn’t long before they started to create some chances. Firstly, Kayden Mandangu-Makangu’s good, lofted free-kick delivery from out on the right-hand side of the pitch, into the away team’s box, was met by Mitchel Swain. His headed effort was well kept out by Gordon Irikefe, who also did really well to save Wilberforce Ocran’s effort on the follow-up.

Following on from a Belstone corner-kick, James Kimber would get to a lay-off on the edge of the Edgware & Kingsbury penalty area. His powerful, first time effort was really well turned behind by the outstretched Gordon Irikefe. Then on 31 minutes, and in what was a deserved opening goal of the game for Belstone, the home side would take the lead. With Wilberforce Ocran pressing the Edgware & Kingsbury goalkeeper well inside of his box. And, Gordon Irikefe’s powerful attempted pass upfield, would rebound off of Wilberforce Ocran, who had closed the goalkeeper down well, and go into the goal, 1-0. Belstone continued to play well during the remainder of the first half, but they were unable to add to their one goal lead.

Following a nice bit of skill from Riyad Zeiani on the edge of the Belstone box, the Edgware & Kingsbury player would, early on in the second half, pass the ball the short distance forward to Georgios Chistoforou down the left-hand side of the penalty area. But, his powerful low effort would go just wide, across the face of the goal. However, in the 59th minute of the game, and after some continued good play, Belstone would double their advantage in the game. Daniel Flynn had made a good run down the right flank, and after playing the ball forward to Wilberforce Ocran, whose movement was good, he was fouled by an Edgware & Kingsbury defender inside of the box, resulting in the referee pointing to the penalty spot. Up stepped Jordan McNally, who would finish confidently into the bottom right-hand corner of the goal, 2-0.

Impressive both in and out of possession, Belstone would continue to really dominate the ball, as this game went on. Next, and a good turn from Belstone forward Hodje Joaquim inside of the away team’s penalty area, would result in him getting a low effort away on goal, which was well turned behind for a corner-kick by Gordon Irikefe. And then soon after that chance Belstone would extend their lead to establish a three goal lead. As impressive substitute Joshua Gavin had got to the ball ahead of the Edgware & Kingsbury goalkeeper following some good initial pressing and closing down. Just inside of the box, Gavin would finish low and clinically from a tight angle, 3-0.

Edgware & Kingsbury tried to get back in to the game. And Marco Persano’s side did go close, with Alex Molla’s powerful low effort from distance going a fraction wide of Aram Sarkissian’s goal. But, then a couple of minutes later and Belstone would add a fourth goal to their tally for the evening. The goal arrived from a fantastic, whipped cross (from out on the right flank) into the penalty area by Youssef Enajar, which was met by Joshua Gavin who got his second goal in relatively quick succession, with a great diving header. And the relentless home team would add a fifth goal, soon after.

For their fifth goal of the game a low Belstone cross was met and partially cleared inside of the Edgware & Kingsbury box by a defender, but only as far as Hodje Joaquim, who would show some good skill to work the space, before then finishing calmly into the goal, 5-0. Belstone weren’t content to settle for a 5-0 win, and they would continue to push Edgware & Kingsbury all the way. Following some good work from Hodje Joaquim down the right flank, he would deliver a good low cross into the path of Joshua Gavin at the back post of the Edgware & Kingsbury goal. Gavin was only denied his hat-trick by a slight bobble just as he was about to tap the ball home, which instead went narrowly wide.

Joshua Gavin did provide the assist for Jordan McNally’s second goal of the game, relatively late on. After showing some good pace to drive forward with the ball down the left-hand side of the Edgware & Kingsbury box, Gavin would then play the ball across to the onrushing Jordan McNally, who would slot the ball low into the goal with a good first time finish, 6-0. Very late on in the game, Edgware & Kingsbury defender Alp Agirbay would hit a good, powerful effort (from the edge of the Belstone box) against the goalkeeper’s left-hand post. However, the referee sounded his full-time whistle soon after, as Belstone’s perfect start to the 2026/27 season continues.

I could have named a number of the Belstone players as player of the match on Tuesday. Such was their excellent all-round team performance. Defensively, former Camden United player Kayden Mandangu-Makangu was very good at left-back. But, in forward areas of the pitch, Jordan McNally, Wilberforce Ocran, Hodje Joaquim, and excellent substitute Joshua Gavin, all really impressed in this big win for Belstone. However, overall and with two goals and some very good all-round play, Jordan McNally was my player of the match. It’s still very early days, but I think that Belstone will go on to have a very good season.

Starting line-ups/match-day squads:

Belstone:

(1) Aram Sarkissian 

(3) Kayden Mandangu-Makangu

(4) Daniel Flynn

(6) James Kimber 

(8) Jack Kimber 

(9) Hodje Joaquim

(10) Ibrahim Camara

(11) Jordan McNally 

(15) Mitchel Swain 

(18) Aarush Yogarajan

(20) Wilberforce Ocran

Substitutes:

(22) Youssef Enajar 

(16) Oliver Gilmas 

(19) Joshua Gavin 

(12) Amar Bowen 

(17) Jan Desai

Edgware & Kingsbury:

(1) Gordon Irikefe

(2) Nizar Echouafni

(3) Alp Agirbay 

(4) Kayden Marks

(5) Kayden Collins 

(6) Edon Mejzini 

(7) Riyad Zeiani 

(8) Henry Waterer 

(9) Morgan Elliott-Grout 

(10) Tiernan Fitzgerald 

(11) Georgios Chistoforou

Substitutes:

(17) Zico John

(14) Alex Molla

(15) Craig-Elliot Adu-Adjei 

(19) Calvin Moses

(12) Cherif Hydara