The second round of the Middlesex Sunday Premier Cup was contested on Sunday 27th October.    Your Roving Team visited the northern end of the County to cover the tie between AFC Oakwood and AFC Hammersmith.   The venue was the very scenic and impeccably maintained Oak Hill Park in Barnet.

We received a warm welcome from the home club secretary, Sam Ruff, who was putting up the goal-nets when we arrived.   AFC Oakwood are a well organised and ambitious club.   They currently play in the Championship, which is the second level of the Barnet Sunday Football League.   They have made a good start to this season’s league campaign, winning all of their first four matches, with a goal difference of +15.   Their pitch is in excellent condition, spacious, even and well grassed.

The visiting team, AFC Hammersmith Town are the present holders of the trophy, having beaten the then holders, Highgate Albion, by a solitary goal in a very tight and evenly contested final at Harefield United FC.   They are members of the First Division of the Harrow Sunday Challenge League and have only played two games, both won, so far.

Both clubs had received a bye in the first round of this season’s competition.

AFC Oakwood contributed to an interesting and hard-fought cup tie.   They had plenty of midfield possession but could not match their visitors’ firepower.   AFC Hammersmith won 5-0, having led 2-0 at the interval.   However, AFC Oakwood can be proud of their performance.   They never stopped trying to play good football and their sportsmanship was admirable.

The opening stages were mainly confined to midfield and the first serious strike on goal came in the 10th minute from Hammersmith’s Kionte Waul, who shot past the upright after being set up by Kris Belousas’ run up the left.

The visiting team’s opening goal came a minute later.   Keeper Sean Green pushed a shot from Kionte up onto his crossbar but the rebound fell to Tayo Oyebola, who netted.

Oakwood hit back.   Hammersmith keeper, Michael Power-Simpson punched away a freekick from wide on the left and a cross from Nicholas Briggs was turned for a corner, following a goalmouth melee.

Tayo Oyebola headed Prosper Keto’s cross home in the 27th minute for Hammersmith’s second goal.

The visiting keeper saved Nicholas Briggs’ drive from the edge of the box and then caught Ryan Murphy’s high lob under his crossbar.

Half-time score: AFC Oakwood 0   AFC Hammersmith 2

Hammersmith’s Ben Ioikyi made an important block to foil Kevin Mafuta.

Tayo Oyebola put his side 3-0 ahead and completed his hattrick in the 52nd minute by netting a low cross at the far post.   He was immediately substituted.

Kris Belousas added Hammersmith’s 4th goal 2 minutes later.   He advanced down the right and hit a high angled shot over the keeper’s hands into the net.

Oakwood mounted a series of attacks, without success.   Nicholas Briggs’ freekick from 25 yards was wide, as was a well hit drive by Carl Mullings.

Kris Belousas scored his 2nd and his team’s 5th goal in the 74th minute with a well hit freekick from 25 yards, which curled around the disintegrating defensive wall.

Hammersmith had further scoring attempts through Kris Belousas, Ahmed Belgarne, Kionte Waul, Eliot Crosbie and Keyarn Cope-Chase, whose good incisive run was halted by weight of numbers.

Final score: AFC Oakwood 0   AFC Hammersmith Town 2

Referee Ark Berisha, who had been sourced from the Barnet Sunday League by AFC Oakwood at short notice, following the late withdrawal of the appointed official, had an excellent match.   He controlled the proceedings impeccably, without the assistance of linesmen of any description, dealing appropriately with the dissent to which he was subjected.

TEAM LINE-UPS

AFC Oakwood: Sean Green, Ryan Murphy, Josh Fajobi, Tommy Selman, James Collis, Kevin Mafuta, Tobi Omotosho, Tobi Akitenhim, Nicolas Briggs, Carl Mullins and William Healey.

Rolling substitutes: Sam Sayer, Lee Reynolds, Calumn Alfeyne and Harry Stylianou.

AFC Hammersmith Town: Michael Power-Simpson, Prosper Keto, Jose Falodi, Joseph Ataro, Ben Ioikyi, Idowu Gbolagade, Stephan Langley, Sean Ndinga-Basaye, Kris Belousas, Tayo Oyebola and Kionte Waul.

Rolling substitutes: Keyarn Cope-Chase, Tashae Andall-Gibbins, Nathan Mampano, Ahmed Belgarne and Eliot Crosbie.

Report: Jim Taylor

Photography: Chris Benn

PICKS

FULL SET