Non-League and Academy football writer

Rayners Lane and Hilltop faced each other in a Combined Counties Football League Premier Division North fixture on Tuesday evening, at Tithe Farm Sports & Social Club. Rayners Lane started this step 5 fixture in 19th place in the league table (after five league matches played), with Hilltop starting this game in ninth place in the standings after six league matches played. Hilltop would win this match 1-0, courtesy of a late winner from Kamaal Nur.

During the early stages of this match a good and intricate Rayners Lane move would result in Keiran Barnard-White’s good forward ball finding Jalen Johnson down the left-hand side of the Hilltop penalty area. Jalen Johnson would then quickly play the ball across to the onrushing Hamza Miezou, whose powerful effort on goal was kept out by Hilltop’s goalkeeper, Ahmed Omar. Then relatively soon after, Rayners Lane player Godwin Fuma would run onto an excellent outside of the boot forward pass, down the left-hand side of the away team’s box. His resulting low and powerfully hit effort after progressing the ball forward for a while, would hit the outside of Ahmed Omar’s right-hand post.

Hilltop had defended well so far, keeping a good shape. As the first half went on, late on in the first half they would come close to taking the lead on two occasions. Firstly and following a good forward move with the ball, Hilltop player Sammim Rahmani would get to the ball on the edge of the Rayners Lane penalty area. His low effort on goal would have to be well turned behind by the outstretched Filip Gremza. And just before half-time Sammim Rahmani’s cross from the left, into the home team’s box was only partially cleared away. With Ibrahim Khan getting to the loose ball inside the penalty area, before getting a low and powerful effort away on goal which was well saved by Filip Gremza.

The first goalscoring chance of the second half arrived early on, following a good Hilltop opening. In fact Hilltop would create a couple of good early openings, before their first effort on target of the second half. As Kamaal Nur’s well weighted through-ball pass into the path of Mohamed Abdullahi’s run, would result in him having his effort from inside the Rayners Lane box (one versus one with the goalkeeper) being well saved by Filip Gremza. Then on the follow-up, Kamaal Nur would help the ball on to Mohamed Abdullahi inside the box, whose low effort from a tight angle, hit the side-netting of the goal.

Hilltop had been the more creative side during the second half. And not long after Rayners Lane player Jamie Pitt had made an excellent last ditch challenge to take the ball off Ibrahim Benabbas, who was through on goal down the left-hand side of the Rayners Lane box, Hiltop would score a late winner. For what proved to be the winning goal of the game in the 83rd minute of proceedings, a quickly taken throw-in from Ibrahim Salih would set off Kamaal Nur who had received the ball out wide on the left, and in behind the Rayners Lane defence. The Hilltop substitute would show some good pace and then composure inside the penalty area, where through on goal with Filip Gremza, he would calmly tuck the ball into the bottom right-hand corner of the goal, 1-0.

A very late and skilful forward run from Rayners Lane substitute Nathaniel Coote to take the ball down the left-hand side of the Hilltop box would see him get a low effort away on goal, which Ahmed Omar kept out well with his feet. With Keiran Barnard-White then putting the ball narrowly wide of the goal on the follow-up. With Rayners Lane having committed players forward in search of a very late leveller, Hilltop would go forward with the ball, coming close to making it 2-0 in the fourth minute of added time. Mohamed Abdullahi and Ibrahim Salih would link up well down the right flank, with Mohamed Abdullahi then getting to Ibrahim Salih’s low cross inside the box. But, his effort was well turned behind by Filip Gremza at his near post.

This was a good win for Hilltop, late on in the game. They worked really hard to get the win, playing their passing game patiently as a team, against a Rayners Lane side who did create chances, and who also defended strongly for much of the game. Jamie Pitt and Filip Gremza were in my opinion two of Rayners Lane’s best players on Tuesday evening, but my player of the match was a Hilltop player. The Hilltop substitutes from this game all helped to push their team over the line at key moments. However, the Hilltop central-defensive pairing of Hussein Hussein and Jack Yates was very good indeed. Both players marshalled the Hilltop defence well, working well alongside each other. With the excellent and very experienced Hussein Hussein being named as my player of the match.

Team-sheets/match-day squads:

Rayners Lane:

(1) Filip Gremza

(2) Jamie Pitt

(3) Ati Diamond 

(4) Nathan Kpemou

(5) Badou Faye 

(6) Daniel Udanoh

(7) Charlie Austin 

(8) Godwin Fuma

(9) Hamza Miezou

(10) Keiran Barnard-White (captain)

(11) Jalen Johnson 

Substitutes:

(12) Alfie Campbell

(14) Temiloluwa Animashaun

(15) Nathaniel Coote

(16) Tobi Bolagi

(17) Jevan El-Kaffash

Hilltop:

(1) Ahmed Omar 

(2) Timothy Mpolesha

(5) Jack Yates

(8) Hussein Hussein 

(7) Ibrahim Khan 

(6) Mohamed Hussein (captain)

(14) Rinalds Jurkstis 

(10) Abukar Mohamed 

(18) Sammim Rahmani 

(9) Ali Abdulkadir

(22) Ibrahim Benabbas 

Substitutes:  

(20) Ibrahim Salih

(13) Mohamed Abdullahi 

(11) Bruno Dos Santos 

(4) Abbas Osman 

(21) Kamaal Nur