Sheldon Baptiste and Mimi Olaide’s young team headed down the road to Denefield School to face Westwood Wanderers. Ahead of the game, the management opted for two changes, introducing Charlie Gmiterek and Keigan Allen into the starting XI. Reiss Baker started out on the bench for this fixture, alongside Matei Corbu, Aymen Mouali, Taha Menshawi and fullback Fahrid Sule.

Vaisset led out our Cityzens for this fixture, and forward Alfie Ward got the game underway shortly after.

Kick-Off: Westwood 0-0 City U23s

Westwood started with a high press, and Harrison Luffrum was the first player in green to take a risk. At the edge of the box, his effort was driven low, but shot-stopper Alex Collie was able to tip the ball out of danger. A follow-up ball from Ashleigh Artwell flashed across the face of the goal, but City defender Cohen Benn made a sublime clearance to end the attack.

Down the opposite end of the pitch, Louis Eade delivered a ball towards Jamie Barker, setting him up nicely, but a Westwood interception briefly paused the chance. Ward reclaimed on the left, cutting a ball through the midfield to Andrew Tafeni. Although an excellent effort, his bicycle kick aimed at the near post unfortunately fell straight into ‘keeper Jude Jackson’s hands.

Minutes later, forward Alfie Ward broke the deadlock in fashion, slotting home a rebounded ball from Tafeni down the middle and past Jackson with composure to give the boys in blue the advantage.

In an attempt to find an early equaliser, the hosts began to pile on the pressure, and an indirect free kick, taken by Jamal Branker, was delivered into the box from twenty yards out. His chance couldn’t amount to anything, and a deflection led to the referee awarding a goal kick to City.

Spells of pressure and intensity fell for both sides throughout the half, with each team coming close on multiple occasions. A menacing shot was whipped in from the right channel by the host side, but was headed over by Skipper Jamie Porter at the back post. A follow-up shot reached the head of a Wanderer, but the ball was nudged over and out of play at the right side of the goal.

As the clock ticked over into the 25th minute, midfielder Charlie Gmiterek received a yellow card as he was adjudged to have committed a foul during his run.

Gaffer Baptiste chose to ring in his first change of the game early, exchanging Keigan Allen for Taha Menshawi.

A well-angled effort by Artwell clattered into the side netting following a strong deflection from Collie and Benn, who both applied pressure on to the Westwood attacker to force him into a miskick.

A fantastic tackle from Ashu allowed the ball to be reclaimed and driven towards Tafeni, who connected with Ward at the edge of the final third. The forward delivered the ball to Menshawi, who crossed it towards Vaisset, but the Skipper was swamped in the centre circle and the chance was stopped.

Further up the pitch, Westwood were awarded a free kick at the corner of the eighteen yard box, whilst Ashu was warned for handball. Taken by Jordan Cox, the set play was powerfully launched, but the City wall stood tall to prevent it, and the rebounded ball eventually dipped out of play.

Tensions began to increase at both ends of the pitch, with goalkeepers Collie and Jackson both providing crucial saves to keep their respective sides in the game. A block by the City ‘keeper at the near post allowed our Under 23s to keep their lead, whilst a fast-paced attempt from Ward was knocked out of danger by Jackson.

The final shot of the half fell once again to Ward. Supported by Tafeni on his left, he drove the ball into the final third and gambled, but a Westwood defender intercepted in the final moments.

Half Time: Westwood 0-1 City U23s

The hosts got us back underway, and Harrison Luffrum almost immediately found the equaliser. Thirty seconds after the interval, the ball was driven forward into the penalty box, with the player creating space in the area before whipping a fast ball into the back of the net to make it all square.

Westwood received their first booking of the game as Devonn Reid had his name taken by the referee for a foul challenge on Gmiterek in our defensive half. A free kick was subsequently awarded to City, but the set play was stopped by the hosts’ backline. 

Minutes later, a crucial block from defender Benn alongside a clearance from the Skipper cleared yet another near chance for Westwood. A short break in play ensued as defender James Ashu went to ground with a suspected head injury, following a collision at the corner of the eighteen yard box. Deemed not needing treatment, the match resumed and Westwood prepared to take a corner following Benn and Vaisset’s brilliant work to rid the danger.

Westwood Captain Jamie Porter rose highest and knocked the curling effort into the net at Collie’s left hand post, giving the hosting side the lead. City were determined to find a way back into the game, and Baptiste turned to his bench for inspiration, introducing his second change of the afternoon. A double exchange saw Aymen Mouali and Reiss Baker enter for Louis Eade and Charlie Gmiterek.

As the clock spilled over into the 60th minute, midfielder Jamie Barker received treatment following a hard tackle in our defensive half, whilst the hosting side prepared to make a substitution. Jamal Branker exited the fray in place of Harrison Lynch, and a throw-in taken by Reid restarted play.

Another substitution soon followed, and Matei Corbu switched with defender James Ashu, who had taken a knock shortly prior. City began to ramp up the pressure, and a smooth steal in possession by Ward allowed the forward to lay off a lovely through ball to Baker. The attacker charged up the pitch, but his chance couldn’t be taken as the hosts’ backline blocked the ball and cleared it long.

Westwood continued to fight for a third to close down the game, and a long-ranged effort was unleashed from the midfield, but there was a sense of relief as the powerful ball drifted just wide of Collie’s right hand post.

The hosts’ Rocco Sofroniou flicked a ball into the direct path of Zak Barnet, but his touch was slightly too heavy as he deflected the ball towards the feet of Benn. Both sides continued to increase the pressure, with Westwood on the front foot.

Barker did well to weave between defenders to rid a dangerous ball out of the box. Collie was forced into a save moments later as a set piece by the hosts was delivered, and Benn cleared the rebounded ball just off of the goalline.

Shouts for a penalty rang around the ground in the 76th minute as substitute Callum Beasley was taken down and went to ground in the area, but the referee continued play. Sofroniou picked up the loose ball but couldn’t get a shot off.

A chance for newly-introduced Mouali arrived shortly after, and the winger gambled to whip a ball across the box, but sadly it couldn’t be reached by a player in blue, and whistled just past the goal.

A fantastic moment of teamwork for City, and a great build-up in play saw Mouali, Baker, Ward and Tafeni team up in search of the equaliser. Unfortunately for the visitors, Westwood’s Jay Welch made a crucial interception to end the attack early.

A third goal arrived in the 81st minute for our opposition. A long-ranged set play was aimed towards the area by Jordan Cox, but Collie was able to punch away the dangerous ball. The loose ball fell to Beasley, who tapped it in at the near post. 

Ten minutes remained, and City’s strike force continued to press. Ward created yet another chance, driving down the left and taking a chance in space, but a deflection stopped his shot in the area. Corbu sprints in to steal, but Westwood surrounded the ball to push back and sprint downfield. An inswinging effort from Mouali on the left curled towards the net, but narrowly missed the target by mere inches, flying past the post and behind the goal.

Three back-to-back near efforts for both teams all came close to being scored, with tensions beginning to spill over. A dangerous shot from goal-scorer Beasley was sent towards goal from just outside the box, but his volleying shot curved in flight and away from the outer post.

Down the other end of the pitch, a cross from Corbu came close to drifting over the line, but in its final seconds, could not reach a fellow City player, and instead rolled wide. A wonderful touch by Ward set City up for a chance, but the cross sent towards him was unfortunately too powerful, and Jackson scooped the ball up to easily claim on his line.

The whistle blew after three minutes of additional time, and Westwood were victorious after an intense battle.

Full Time: Westwood 3-1 City U23s

A fantastic first-half showing from our young squad, with the players showing composure and technical skill throughout. An unlucky second half, with Westwood showing a clinical edge to take all the points.

Thank you to our brilliant hosts Westwood Wanderers – a great game, and we wish you all the best for the remainder of the season!

For our final fixture of 2024, our Cityzens are away next Saturday at the Henwick Worthy Sports Ground as they face Newbury for the reverse fixture.