Hadley Wood & Wingate 3 - 1 Kensington Borough

By Nikhil Saglani

Hadley Wood & Wingate were 3-1 victors for the second consecutive game, this time overcoming Kensington Borough in the Division One Cup courtesy of a Joe Sharpe brace and a Max Kyte header – after being 1-0 down at half-time.

The first chance of the game fell to the visitors but Omar El-Bakkali’s free-kick was easily held by Ross Weinrabe after 14 minutes. Three minutes later, Tanasheh Abrahams – playing at left back – went on a mazy run but could only drag his shot wide from 20 yards out.

The bright start to the game continued, with El-Bakkali this time forcing a smart save out of Weinrabe, diving to his left after beating the hosts’ defence. From the resulting corner, Sohaib Harti saw his effort cleared off the line by Vassili Mandeville.

The visitors eventually took the lead in the 33rd minute as Jabir Laraba rifled a spectacular effort towards the top corner and the ball cannoned in off the underside of the bar.

However, the second half was a different game – and Frankie Webb’s half time team talk seemed to have changed the Hadley Wood players. The Blues came out pressing hard, passing sharper and looking more solid at the back, bar sloppy free-kicks being conceded.

And the good start was rewarded in the 57th minute when Joe Sharpe’s corner evaded the defenders inside the area and nestled into the back of the net via the glove of Ariys Pampolim – but the hosts’ skipper was quick to ensure the goal would go down as his own!

The visitors hit the post on 63 minutes when Laraba was played in on goal and used the outside of his right foot to try and beat Weinrabe, but couldn’t beat the woodwork. Eight minutes later, the hosts were ahead. The dangerous Williams Agyei-Danquah beat his man on the left wing, crossed into the area and Max Kyte, left unmarked, headed home for Webb’s side.

Six minutes later, Jordan Gibbons was brought down in the area and Sharpe converted the penalty – this time without a touch from the ‘keeper – and ensured Hadley Wood’s progression into the next round of the Division One Cup.

Hadley Wood XI:

1. Weinrabe
2. Mandeville
3. Abrahams
4. Sharpe ©
5. Marriott
6. Young
7. Kyprianou (Meehan, 68)
8. Artimadis
9. Osenie (Gibbons, 51)
10. Kyte (Kouroushi, 84)
11. Agyei-Danquah

12. Gibbons
13. –
14. Reynolds
15. Kouroushi
16. Meehan

Kensington:

1. Pampolin
2. Taghi
3. Abdeirahman
4. Mohamed
5. Harti
6. Mejzini
7. El-Bakkali
8. Jibari
9. Laraba
10. Daranki
11. Liban

12. Anil
13. –
14. Jibz
15. Ghailan