A mixed morning against old foes

Balham's improvement in form continued on yet another cold and blustery day at Richardson Evans. Afewee were last played against a couple of years ago in the Saturday league, although some contacts remained with Jude and Chris both knowing some opposition players.

In another double-header, Balham won one and lost one - although were probably the better side over the two legs.

Afewee started well though, with their dangerous no. 21 always looking active. Ethan blocked an early chance and it took a while for the boys to settle down. When they did, they did so in style. Amine was completely pulling the strings in midfield , and not for the last time in the game, he threaded through an excellent pass to Ethan on the right flank. Clean through, the flame-haired RWB cut inside to finish superbly with Balham's first attack.

This set the Whites up well for a spell of attacking football. Jacob's distribution was excellent, setting up Dylan for a lung-busting run down the left wing. Chris and Wilbur recovered the ball well after an Afewee attack, to set up Amine who again threaded the ball through to Ethan. This time he was unlucky with a shot into the side netting.

Shortly afterwards, Wilbur had to be taken off after a heavy clash in our penalty area winded him. Ollie defended well in his makeshift central defensive position, as did Luca tracking the speedy winger.

Ethan shot well again after good distribution from Jacob, and from the resulting corner Balham doubled their lead. Ethan's cross was headed home by an unmarked George and the result looked assured.

The boys relaxed too soon though, and the Yellows pulled one back after some sloppy defending. Gethin hit a shot just wide before the break, and the boys went into half-time closer than they probably should have.

Afewee started the second half well, and Jacob kept Balham ahead with a striker clean through. The Yellows had a couple of shots over the bar, and the lead was beginning to look less secure.

With a burst of energy, the Whites rallied and set up several chances. Amine hit the ball just over after an excellent run from Gethin, and the Welsh striker had a good effort himself which was well saved. The third finally came after an excellent cross from George was superbly saved by the makeshift keeper after Jude directed the ball towards the goal. The fox in the box himself was there to follow up and extend the lead.

The boys were unlucky not to score a fourth after Ethan put in a superb tackle on the right flank. Jude's shot was somehow deflected by a defender when it looked like he would score.

As the game wore on, Amine showed excellent skill - setting up both Ethan and Jude, but the boys could not quite add a fourth.

3-1 was the final score and a well-deserved one.

After a short break, the second game kicked off and yet again Afewee started off well. They had a good chance from a free kick and looked pacy on the break.

Balham rallied though. With Wilbur back on the pitch, he floated a free-kick towards goal which narrowly missed George's onrushing head. Moments later, Jude tucked home only for it to be ruled offside.

Ollie and Wilbur both swept up excellently at the back; Amine set up Dylan, but some excellent blocking stopped him. Whilst Afewee had a shot just over the bar, Balham dominated the last 10 minutes of the half but could not make the pressure count. Dylan smashed it over after Amine set him up; George hit a shot just wide; Amine missed a good chance after picking up a wayward goal-kick; and Jude's shot was cleared off the line.

The missed chances were to prove costly, as Balham tried a different formation in the second-half. With George playing up front, he nearly danced through the defence but was stopped at the last. Wilbur hit an excellent free-kick just over the bar, and it looked like we would never score.

Of course, the missed chances came to roost as Afewee took the lead against the run of play after some poor defending from Balham where the boys had plenty of chances to clear the ball.

For the next ten minutes, Balham piled on the pressure. How it did not go in from one corner no-one knows. From the subsequent one, Gethin's header looked like it was in (and perhaps would have been with VAR).

However, the Whites did equalise after a poor goalkeeping clearance was picked up by Gethin and calmly slotted home.

It looked like the Whites would be the side that went on to win, with both Gethin and Jude coming close. However, a massive sucker-punch downed them with two minutes to go after a very contentious goal. Always dangerous on the break, the Afewee 21 burst down the wing, with most of the crowd claiming that he had controlled the ball over the line. The Afewee linesman refused to flag, and to be fair to the team in Yellow, they played on with the Balham defence nowhere to be seen.

A disappointing 2-1 defeat at the last gasp resulted.

It was then on to McDonalds, and an exceptionally windy tournament in Beckenham with almost full-size goals making a bit of a farce of the afternoon.

The boys can be pleased with their significant improvement in form in the League though, and perhaps 180 minutes of football in one day was too much to ask!