Premier Division

Jolof Sports  4    Stonewall  0

Saturday, 21 December 2024
 

Jolof Sports faced Stonewall FC, in a Middlesex County Football League Premier Division fixture, on Saturday afternoon at West Ham Memorial Ground (both side's home ground). Jolof Sports started this match in third place in the Premier Division league standings after 12 league matches played, with Stonewall starting this east London derby match in fourth place in the table, after 11 league matches played. This match was won 4-0 by Jolof Sports. Jolof Sports would create the first chance of the game, after a pretty uneventful start to the game, with not very many chances being created. After Mohamed Roundi had got to the ball on the right flank, the Jolof Sports player would shrug off Stonewall defender Ryan Murray on the edge of the penalty area, before hitting a low effort on goal which was gathered by Dennis Aware. It had been a pretty even start to the match, with it taking a good while before the next notable goalscoring chance.

Following a long throw-in to Sall Mouhamed on the edge of the Stonewall penalty area, the Jolof Sports forward would turn with the ball, before hitting an effort over on the bounce. The game started to really come to life during the final five minutes of the first half. Firstly, from a Stonewall corner-kick from Loic Marcon, the ball was met at the near post by Callum Alexander, whose headed effort across the goal was well cleared away on the goal-line by an alert Jolof Sports defender. And then just before half-time, Danny Brissett's Jolof Sports side would take the lead in the match. As following a well delivered corner-kick into the Stonewall penalty area, Sall Mouhamed would meet the ball. His powerful headed effort on goal would hit the underside of the crossbar before bouncing off the line, with Mohamed Roundi then heading home on the follow-up from the centre of the box, despite the best efforts of Aware and a Stonewall defender on the goal-line, 1-0.

Jolof Sports would start the second half of the match well. After Omosheni Oshodi-Atinmo's free-kick delivery into the Stonewall penalty area had been met by Tashan Lewis, in behind the defence and in space, it looked like Jolof Sports were going to double their lead. However, it wasn't an easy chance, and Lewis would hit an effort over the goal on the half-volley. A good through-ball pass from Stonewall's captain Jay Lemonius, would follow. With Lemonius finding the run of Yusuf Isiaq down the left-hand side of the home team's penalty area, but there to close down the angles was the Jolof Sports goalkeeper, Zakaria Kechekar, who made a good and important save. The next goal of this well contested game was always going to be crucial. Shortly after Mohamed Roundi's cross into the Stonewall penalty area was headed over by Tashan Lewis, Jolof Sports would double their lead. The move for their second goal of the game started with a long forward pass being met by Omosheni Oshodi-Atinmo, who had managed to get to the ball beyond George Volis, and just inside of the box. Oshodi-Atinmo would then partially round the goalkeeper, before unselfishly laying the ball off to Sall Mouhamed, who finished into the empty goal, 2-0.

After Stonewall defender George Volis had been sin-binned by the referee, Jolof Sports looked to capitalise. Following Mohamed Roundi's effort after he had got to the ball inside of the Stonewall box from a corner-kick, which went just wide of their goal, Dennis Aware would then have to make a save following an effort from the edge of his penalty area. Eric Najib's Stonewall side tried to get back into the game, but after Jay Lemonius had found Yusuf Isiaq with a good pass down the right-hand side of the home team's penalty area, with his low effort being gathered by Kechekar, Jolof Sports would go on to create a number of chances. A looping ball into the Stonewall penalty area would put defender Fernando Martins under pressure, with his clearance clipping Dennis Aware's left-hand post on its way behind for a corner-kick. A couple of minutes later, Oshodi-Atinmo would take the ball forward to the edge of the Stonewall box, with his powerful resulting effort on goal being gathered by Aware.

Soon after that effort on goal from Oshodi-Atinmo, Jolof Sports would essentially make sure of their win, with them scoring their third goal of the afternoon. Substitute Ebrima Cham's good pass to Kaine Flemy in a bit of space on the right-hand side of the away team's penalty area would result in the forward's powerful low effort finding the bottom left-hand corner of the goal, 3-0. Not long after the game had restarted again, impressive Jolof Sports player Omosheni Oshodi-Atinmo saw his curling effort from 20 yards out gathered by Aware. Jolof Sports had defended really well throughout this game, with their captain, Balla Ngom, leading well from central defence. However, Stonewall would try to finish the game well. Coltrane Morley-Williams' free-kick delivery from midfield, was headed just wide of the goal by Jay Lemonius (from inside of the penalty area). And then a couple of minutes later, Morley-Williams went for goal from another free-kick effort, this time from 25 yards out. But Zakaria Kechekar would gather the ball confidently.

In the very final moments of the match Jolof Sports would extend their lead further. Influential Jolof Sports substitute Ebrima Cham would play a pass across to Oshodi-Atinmo, on the right-hand side of the Stonewall penalty area, with the clinical forward hitting a powerful low effort into the bottom left-hand corner of the goal, 4-0. This was a good team performance from Jolof Sports, who managed this game well from start to finish, despite Stonewall making a good start to the game. All of the Jolof Sports players played their part and contributed to this comprehensive win. Shane McCullough was my Stonewall player of the match, for a fine individual performance. However, my overall player of the match was Omosheni Oshodi-Atinmo, who scored one (he now has 11 league goals this season) goal and provided an assist. However, his off the ball movement and pressing in the final third was just as impressive and important.

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