MCFL Saturday Division One (East & Central)

Hackney Wick Reserves  2    Alexandra Knights  0

Saturday, 09 November 2024

 

On Saturday afternoon at Hackney Marshes, I was in attendance for this Middlesex County Football League Division One (East & Central) fixture between Hackney Wick Reserves and Alexandra Knights. Fourth placed Hackney Wick Reserves had won their previous three league matches, going into this game on Saturday. The visiting side on Saturday, Alexandra Knights (they started this match in sixth place in the table), were also in good recent league form, and they were looking to make it three league wins in a row. This step 8 match was won 2-0 by the home side, Hackney Wick Reserves. In what was a fairly slow start to the game in terms of chances created, with both sides trying to take control of the game, the first chance came from a Hackney Wick corner-kick. As Mark Sarfo-Awuah's headed effort from close range, was just tipped over by the Alexandra Knights goalkeeper, Marko Cancar.

Rory Adler's Hackney Wick Reserves side were more creative with the ball during the early stages of the game. After Stojancho Velichkov had hit a low effort on the away team's goal (from the edge of the penalty area) which was gathered by Marko Cancar, the same Hackney Wick player would manage to get another effort on target soon after. As Stojancho Velichkov had received Andrew Valencia Cedeno's pass on the right-hand side of the away side's penalty area, before cutting inside with the ball and seeing his low effort on goal gathered by the goalkeeper. Another chance would follow for the home side (a couple of minutes later), as Stojancho Velichkov laid a free-kick (some 20 or so yards out from goal) to David Proono Herrera, whose powerful low effort went wide of the Alexandra Knights goal. 

Hackney Wick Reserves would improve further towards the end of the first half. A well delivered free-kick from the right-hand side of the Alexandra Knights half from Stojancho Velichkov, would go into the penalty area, before falling for Adam Abdelaziz, close to the goal, as he helped the the ball into the goal, 1-0. And then after Mark Sarfo-Awuah had hit a low effort on the visitors' goal, which was gathered by Marko Cancar, Hackney Wick would double their lead in the game. This goal courtesy of a fantastic effort by Pergentino Kiwari-Mangue, who after picking the ball up around 28 yards out from goal, would whip an unstoppable and powerful effort past Marko Cancar and into the top right-hand corner of his goal, 2-0. And just before the referee had brought the first half to an end, Hackney Wick player Adam Abdelaziz would hit a good low effort (from the right-hand side of the Alexandra Knights' penalty area) right across the face of the goal.

I thought that Alexandra Knights started the second half with a better intensity, and after Dayshawn Watson Obi had done well to win a free-kick for the away side right on the edge of the Hackney Wick penalty area, a good goalscoring chance presented itself. Triratana Sanguanbun would step up to take the free-kick, but his powerful low effort on goal was well parried away by the goalkeeper, Teddy Gevaux-Baena. An excellent save from Marko Cancar at the opposite end of the pitch would follow, as after Joshua Adeojo had found himself through on goal on the left-hand side of the away team's penalty area, it looked like Hackney Wick Reserves' top scorer this season was going to score a goal. However, Marko Cancar made a superb save to somehow push Joshua Adeojo's powerful effort on his goal onto his crossbar, before the ball was then cleared away by a defender.

At this point in the second half the pace of the game had picked up further. Triratana Sanguanbun would curl a free-kick effort (from 25 yards out) over the Hackney Wick goal, before Adam Abdelaziz had looped an effort, on the bounce, over from distance at the opposite end of the pitch. For Hackney Wick, both Andrew Valencia Cedeno and Jose Carlos Ahomada Montano had efforts from distance which were deflected wide of Marko Cancar's goal. And then as the game progressed, the game opened up more, as the chances continued to arrive for both sides. Following a deep free-kick delivery into the Hackney Wick penalty area, the ball eventually fell for Boris Richter, who was in a bit of space on the left-hand side of the home team's box. However, his effort on goal was held by Teddy Gevaux-Baena, at his near post. 

Following some good skill on the ball from the impressive Joshua Adeojo, to take the ball inside from the left flank to the edge of the away team's penalty area, he would then hit a powerful effort wide of the goal. Four minutes later a good pass from Alexandra Knights player Andres Palles, found Abdallah Abdulrahman Abdallah in a bit of space on the right-hand side of the Hackney Wick box. However, the Alexandra Knights substitute's resulting effort on goal was saved by Teddy Gevaux-Baena. Both Jose Carlos Ahomada Montano (Hackney Wick) and Andres Palles (Alexandra Knights) would both hit efforts wide (from outside of the respective penalty areas) late on, before one final chance came the way of the visiting side. As Alexandra Knights forward Hamza Ibn El Hadj had managed to get to a header inside of the Hackney Wick box. His resulting powerful effort on goal was however, well stopped and pushed away by Teddy Gevaux-Baena.

This was a competitive game between two good sides in this step 8 division of the Middlesex League. Obviously Hackney Wick Reserves will be happy with the result, but they'll also be happy to have kept a clean-sheet during the second half, against a much improved Alexandra Knights side. This was a good game to watch, and my player of the match (there were a number of contenders) on Saturday was Hackney Wick player Joshua Adeojo, who was unfortunate not to get a goal, but I thought that he impressed going forward down the left flank during his time on the pitch, and he linked the play well. Also, a special mention to Alexandra Knights goalkeeper Marko Cancar who I thought did well on the day, and for his superb save to stop Joshua Adeojo scoring a goal, during the second half.

This match report was written by Lennon, who writes on non-League and grassroots football on his blog - nonleagueandacademyfootballwriter.co.uk