A first round tie of this season’s Middlesex FA Intermediate Cup was played between two Middlesex County Football League Division One sides in Ruislip Town (step 8) and Hilltop Reserves (step 8) at Brunel University Sports Complex, and it was my game for this Saturday afternoon. Thanks to a strong second half performance, Ruislip Town won this cup tie 3-0.
During the opening stages of this county cup tie and shortly after Ruislip had created a chance from a corner-kick, the home side’s number 10, Luke Roberts, would power a decent low effort wide of the Hilltop goal, from 24 yards out. Then following some good pressing by Luke Roberts to win the ball inside Hilltop’s final third, he would pass the ball to Shivankar Sekaran, on the edge of the penalty area. However, his low effort would go narrowly wide of Kester Fernandes’ goal.
Following on from a lofted pass by Hilltop defender Johan Ahipeaud, to find Theo Protheroe down the right-hand side of the Ruislip box, with his low effort being well turned behind by Sam Doherty at his near post, it was a pretty uneventful remainder to the half. And although Ruislip Town were looking more likely to take the lead before half-time, this cup tie was playing out to be quite scrappy.
On to the second half now and approximately 15 minutes into the half Ruislip Town took the lead. For that opening goal of the game Oliver Corbyn would play a pass forward from deep, to Tom Barber, who in turn passed the ball into the path of Taylor Hunt. He would finish low into the goal ahead of the outrushing Hilltop goalkeeper, 1-0. Ruislip Town had definitely improved in their play by this stage in the game. And after Hilltop player Boris Richter had controlled the ball well on the edge of the Ruislip box, before turning and powering a decent effort over, Ruislip would go close to doubling their advantage for the afternoon.
For their next goalscoring chance, Oliver Partridge had won the ball before going forward with it. He would then pass the ball forward to Luke Collis, who after a nice bit of skill on the edge of the Hilltop box, would see his low effort on goal be well kept out by Fernandes. Yet soon afterwards Ruislip player Taylor Hunt was sin-binned by the referee. However, with ten players out on the pitch, the home side would go on to raise their game. Following on from their goalkeeper Sam Doherty’s long ball upfield, which was flicked on by Jacob Jakeman, to Tom Barber. From just inside the Hilltop penalty area Tom Barber’s effort on goal was kept out and saved by Fernandes. However, following up was Luke Collis, who finished low into the goal from close range, 2-0.
Very late on in the game and Simon Plampin’s Ruislip Town side would really finish the game in style. A great surging forward run from deep by Shivankar Sekaran, would see him progress the ball forward at pace down the left flank. He would eventually enter the Hilltop penalty area where his effort on target was saved by Fernandes. However, hardworking and skilful Ruislip Town player Shivankar Sekaran would then provide an important assist for the home team’s third goal of the game, soon after. After having turned skilfully with the ball, Shivankar Sekaran would, from the halfway line, play a good through-ball pass into the path of Luke Collis, who had beaten the Hilltop offside trap and high line, before knocking the ball around the outrushing goalkeeper, and then finishing from close range inside the Hilltop box, 3-0.
Just before the final whistle had been sounded by the referee, a clever turn with the ball from inside on the left flank, would result in Shivankar Sekaran taking the ball into the Hilltop box. His subsequent effort on goal was saved by Fernandes at his near post. After a scrappy first half of football for Ruislip Town, against a Hilltop Reserves team who by no means had their best game as a team, during the second half the home team would improve quite a lot. And with three goals scored in the second 45, it was Ruislip Town who booked their place in round two of this prestigious county cup competition.
For all of his relentless running in wide areas of the pitch and quality on the ball in the final third, despite competition from Harry Sturgeon and Luke Collis, Shivankar Sekaran was my player of the match earlier today.
Team-sheets/match-day squads:
Ruislip Town:
(1) Sam Doherty
(17) Oliver Glynn
(19) Jacob Jakeman
(6) Harry Sturgeon (captain)
(16) Joe Healy
(9) Oliver Corbyn
(4) Sanjiv Solanki
(12) Taylor Hunt
(2) Benjamin Sargeant
(20) Shivankar Sekaran
(10) Luke Roberts
Substitutes:
(3) Oliver Partridge
(21) Kai Healy
(7) Luke Collis
(8) Sebastian Walsh
(18) Tom Barber
Hilltop Reserves:
(12) Kester Fernandes
(13) Darren Chow
(20) Ali Khalloufi
(3) Mohammed Suleiman
(6) Mohamed Afrah
(9) Fisal Bawar
(10) Theo Protheroe
(16) Osama Alzoubi (captain)
(5) Keenan Yates
(2) Boris Richter
(4) Mustafa Berima
(7) Ismail Abdullahi
(24) Johan Ahipeaud
(21) Hatim Hussein
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