Match Report
Thurlow Nunn Division 1 South
NW London 2-4 Hoddesdon Town
Jason Brown 28' (Hoddesdon Town)
Jason Brown 29' (Hoddesdon Town)
Arianit Krasniqi PEN. 45' (NW London)
Connor Bolton 46' (Hoddesdon Town)
Suleyman Zahmoul 58' (NW London)
Jimmy Agnew 83' (Hoddesdon Town)
In a thrilling contest at Coles Park, Hoddesdon emerged victorious, claiming the final goal in a back-and-forth game.
It was a nervy start for NW London, who saw plenty of the ball but were unable to settle early. Hoddesdon quickly capitalised on loose passes and created several dangerous situations.
Just as the Gorillas began to find their rhythm—after Krasniqi sliced wide from a favorable angle and debutant Zahmoul tested the Hoddesdon goalkeeper—another debutant, Castro, made a costly slip. This allowed Hoddesdon to break through, and despite the NW defence recovering well, a miss-hit shot fell kindly for Brown. His initial attempt was saved, but he calmly slotted home the rebound from close range to give Town the lead.
From the restart, Hoddesdon doubled their advantage. They intercepted a pass, and Brown raced clear to finish off the post for his second of the game.
Despite the setbacks, NW London didn't let the goals deflate them. They grew into the game, with Krasniqi having further chances before being fouled inside the box. He confidently converted the resulting penalty to claw a goal back just before half-time.
Any momentum NW London had gained was quickly dampened at the start of the second half. From the kick-off, Hoddesdon launched another attack. Brown put in an inviting cross, and Bolton was on hand to head home from close range, restoring the two-goal lead.
Just like in the first half, the two-goal deficit seemed to spark NW London into life. An excellent team move put Krasniqi through, but his shot was saved. However, debutant Zahmoul was in the right place to tuck home the rebound into an empty net, making it 3-2.
The game then became an end-to-end contest, with NW London pushing large numbers forward and Hoddesdon looking to exploit the space on the counter.
A key moment came in the 70th minute when substitute De Quadros latched onto a chipped pass but dragged his effort wide, missing a good opportunity to level the score.
The points were finally secured for Hoddesdon when a counterattack saw them break free, and a volleyed shot made it 4-2, sealing the win.
It was a highly entertaining affair, and NW London will be disappointed not to come away with any points after pushing Hoddesdon throughout the game. However, Hoddesdon's efficiency and experience ensured they stayed ahead, ultimately claiming the victory.