Non-League and Academy football writer

On game-week three of the 2026/27 Middlesex County Football League Premier Division season, Apollo London faced Stonewall at West Ham Memorial Ground on Wednesday evening. Both sides had won one game and lost one, going in to this midweek Premier Division fixture. Stonewall came from behind to win this game 4-2.

In the opening 15 minutes of Wednesday’s game, Apollo London would take the lead. Arriving after an indirect free-kick had been awarded inside the Stonewall penalty area following a back-pass to their goalkeeper. The ball was cleverly laid off to Donaldo Ndoj’s clever bit of movement, as the Apollo player connected well with the ball. Powering it beyond Dennis Aware and into the goal with a first time finish, 1-0. After a bit of a difficult start to the game, Stonewall did start to improve in their all-round play, soon managing some decent efforts. However, the next best chance of the game, arrived the way of Apollo. As Domi Izet glanced a header narrowly over following a good, whipped free-kick delivery into the centre of the Stonewall box by Daniel Ndoj.

Another good Apollo chance was also created by the home side, around five minutes after that good set-piece. This time Daniel Ndoj would step on to and win the ball inside of Stonewall’s final third, off a Stonewall player. He would quickly pass the ball forward to Filipe Caitano De Sousa Alcantara, who in space and from the left-hand side of the Stonewall penalty area, would curl a good low effort on goal. However, his effort was really well matched by Dennis Aware, who made a good stop. 

Two Stonewall goals in relatively quick succession before half-time, would result in them going in to the half-time break 2-1 up. For their equalising goal, Coltrane Morley-Williams would receive a short pass out on the left flank and inside Apollo’s final third. Whether he meant to go for goal won’t matter, as his whipped effort went beyond the goalkeeper in unstoppable fashion, into the top right-hand corner of the goal, 1-1. And then just before half-time and for Stonewall’s second goal of the evening, Coltrane Morley-Williams would play across from the left flank, to Abdulla Alsuwaidi inside the Apollo box. The Stonewall forward would recover the ball really well under pressure. And after looping the ball up, he would turn skilfully before hitting an accurate low effort into the bottom left-hand corner of the goal, 1-2.

Early on in the second half, Apollo London would respond really well to conceding those two goals before half-time, by making it 2-2. For their second goal, the ball was played forward to Filipe Caitano De Sousa Alcantara down the right flank. He would pass the ball across to Donaldo Ndoj on the edge of the penalty area. He was allowed the time needed to curl a fine effort into the top left-hand corner of Dennis Aware’s goal, 2-2. 

This game had definitely become an open contest. With goalscoring chances continuing to be created. Next, Deandre Aldonza’s perfectly weighted through-ball pass would find John-Alex Bernal-Ortiz’s run in behind the Apollo defence, and to the right-hand side of their penalty area. The Stonewall player’s resulting low effort beyond goalkeeper Athanasios Kapsokostas, would go just a fraction wide of his right-hand post. And then a couple of minutes later at the other end of the pitch, Donaldo Ndoj’s powerful and well connected with low free-kick effort from 25 yards out, would take a slight deflection off one of his teammate’s. This meant that the outstretched Dennis Aware had to make a top save to prevent the ball from going into the bottom right-hand corner of his goal.

It was Eric Najib’s Stonewall side who definitely finished this game the better and more creative side. A long kick upfield from their goalkeeper Dennis Aware, would see the ball bounce into the Apollo penalty area. The outrushing Apollo goalkeeper was challenged for the ball by Abdulla Alsuwaidi, who nodded the ball over the goalkeeper and into the goal, 3-2. Then very soon after that goal and following the resumption of play, Stonewall substitute Seb Morally’s superb long throw-in into the busy Apollo box, came off Logan Sritharan last, as the ball found the bottom left-hand corner of the goal, 4-2. Stonewall did really try to extend their lead before full-time. Shane McCullough came close to making it 5-2, as did Abdulla Alsuwaidi, who was denied a goal of the season contender as the ball was deemed to have gone out of play in the buildup.

The Stonewall players and coaching staff will be very pleased with how they won this game, with goals and some great team play arriving at decisive moments in the game. Donaldo Ndoj was my Apollo player of the match on Wednesday. However, for my overall player of the match, that goes to versatile and highly skilful Stonewall forward Abdulla Alsuwaidi. He scored two very important goals against Apollo, taking his goal tally for this season to four goals in three games. His first goal of the evening arrived courtesy of some fantastic skill. His second goal to make it 3-2, was a brave headed finish after some good anticipation to get to the ball.

Starting line-ups/match-day squads:

Apollo London:

(1) Athanasios Kapsokostas

(2) Joshua Abudu

(66) Anayo Cosmas Onuora

(34) Domi Izet

(26) Enobong Idiong 

(28) Doda Gezim (captain)

(27) Dionysios Koulai

(16) Filipe Caitano De Sousa Alcantara

(67) Daniel Ndoj

(21) Justin Ezeagu

(18) Armend Metaj 

(17) Youssuf El Jabouri 

(7) Kristian Meziri

(11) Arber Kraja

(9) Endri Proho

(99) Donaldo Ndoj

Stonewall:

(1) Dennis Aware

(2) Samuel E.D.Q Costa

(20) Coltrane Morley-Williams 

(2) Seb Morally

(3) George Volis (captain)

(6) Loic Marcon

(12) Yuta Shirai

(4) Duisburg Tyche

(11) John-Alex Bernal-Ortiz

(7) Abdulla Alsuwaidi

(10) Deandre Aldonza

(8) Logan Sritharan

(9) Shane McCullough 

(14) Corey McKeary

(17) Max Oakton

(18) Callum Alexander