Match Report 

North Greenford Utd(A) 29/03/2022

North Greenford Utd vs Hanwell Town 

Middlesex Charity Cup Quarter Final


The benefit of a good local rivalry in football is never to be underestimated. Far from the tribal support of team A meaning you must despise team B, the co-operation, co-dependency and need for healthy competition with your nearby clubs can lead to benefits for both clubs including a greater pool of players, support when you need it in loaning players, in both in adversity and success and memorable games for all involved.  This Middx Senior Charity Cup quarter final against North Greenford promised much but alas this game will not last long in the annals of the respective clubs,  being one of attrition on a cold March evening, decided by a single goal

 

Hanwell made several changes from their previous outing against Westfield in the league with Kyle Watson making a welcome return from injury, Calum Woodcock making a rare start, Jack Hutchinson & Mark Bitmead  replacing George Nicholas and Sam Saunders in the middle with Ogo Obi and Tom Collins up front, with Chendlik and Wynter being rested.

 

A corner to North Greenford 2 minutes in saw a chance headed narrowly wide. A great cross from Dan Carr was scrambled behind for a Hanwell corner. A Rush delivery saw Ogo with his back to goal turns and fires over.

 

A bobbly pitch didn’t help,  leading to a scrappy game making it very difficult for either to control the game. A clash of styles saw Hanwell on the front foot bringing spells of pressure with the home side counterattacking at pace uphill in the first half. Ogo went down in the Greenford  box to cries for a penalty waved away by the ref. Some good work in midfield from Jack Hutchinson lead to a corner resulting in a header from Mark Bitmead easily saved by Lehane, the NGU keeper.  He repeated this again from an Ogo Obi header from a Harry Rush free kick and again he safely held a long-range effort minutes later from the same player.

 

The half seemed to be heading to a goalless conclusion before a ball from Hutchinson into the right channel found Ogo wide who cut in and unselfishly squared to Tom Collins who wrong footed Lehane give Hanwell a 1-0 lead at half time.

 

A strong start to the second half from Hanwell with Jack Hutchinson getting on the ball from the off and beginning to boss proceedings from the middle of the park as Hanwell set up camp in the NGU half but with few clear chances actually being created

 

Ogo was withdrawn on the 68th minute to be replaced by Tomasz Siemienczek

 

On 75th minute it started raining to remind us that winter wasn’t quite over, weather very much  in keeping with the game. Brian Testolin replaced Tom Collins for the last 15 mins

Great run and back heel from Jack Hutchinson  saw Dan Carr float the ball wide. A second goal was needed to make it a more comfortable last 10 minutes.

 

Momentum switched in the last period to the home side and the ball breaking lose in the Hanwell box led to a huge chance that Calum Duffy managed to scramble away before letting Damian in goal and his fellow defenders know their defensive shortcomings in allowing NGU the chance. The spell of pressure for Greenford was broken by an amazing cross field pass from Duffy to  get Dan Carr in behind the Greenford back line but his cross was poked narrowly wide in one of the few clear Hanwell chances.

 

There was a yellow for Bitmead after some handbags with 5 mins to go. Harvey Killeen, a player with over 100 appearances for Hanwell was introduced by the home side as a last throw of the dice for the last few minutes. It almost lead to instant success as a shot came in resulting in a great save by Damian who was called upon again in injury time as NGU were throwing everything and the kitchen sink at the Hanwell goal. A ball in saw a header over the Hanwell bar who survived in no small part to Damian’s efforts to make a semi-final tie against Northwood in the hunt for more silverware continues.

 

With four of the NGU match squad having previously worn Hanwell colours and representation in the home dug out, there may not have been a Fisher or a Bivens present for this game but the spirt they personify of their respective clubs was very much in evidence even if on this occasion it did not lead to a classic encounter between old foes and friends. It was a healthy reminder it takes two to tango.

 

HANWELL TOWN: Damian Pawlak, Dan Carr, Calum Woodcock, Harry Rush ©, Calum Duffy, Kyle Watson, Jack Hutchinson, Mark Bitmead,Ogo Obi, Tom Collins, Massimo Giamattei.  Substitutes Tomascz Simienczuk, Brian Testolin, Dernell Wynter, Halim Bangura, Adam Laaref

 

NGU: Ryan Lehane, Harrison Okwu, Sam Molyneaux, Sammy Olanipekun, Connor Butler, Joe Mills ©, Kai Omoko-Brosnan, Billy Leonard, Charlie Mitchell, Georgie Brown, Perry Price Substitutes Jake Sobalak, Chris Martin-Thomas, Chukwumdike Otuadinma, Sam Brown, Harvey Killeen