Islington Primary Schools District football team fought out an entertaining 3-3 draw with Redbridge last week.

Playing their final Lester Finch Group match, they knew they could not qualify from the group which only allows the winners to go through, but were determined to put on a good performance.

Redbridge took the lead 11 minutes into the first half when a passage of play progressed through the centre of the team and Islington failed to make tackles count, with Redbridge finally driving in from just inside the edge of the area..

With seven minutes to go on the half, Islington equalised with Louis Moncrieffe delivering an excellent corner from the right and Said Mariche volleying in from the centre of the area to level things up.

There were to be more chances but no further goals in the first half and Islington started the more positive in the second period and from a Redbridge clearance, the ball fell to Moncrieffe some 35 yards out and he scored with an outstanding right-footed half-volley with looped into the far corner of the net to give Islington the lead.

Islington pushed on and six minutes later Mariche drove down the left hand side, cutting onto his right foot and scoring with a shot into the far corner.

Islington had a number of breaks to then increase their scoring with captain Zhaviah Campbell hitting the post and Jake Quinn also going close.

With seven minutes to go, Redbridge put a cross into the area that no one contested and converted to bring the book game back to 3-2.

Another set-piece then came straight through the heart of the area with five minutes to go to enable Redbridge to draw the game level at 3-3.

There were to be further chances either end but the game would finish 3-3 with both sets of staff and supporters agreeing it had been a cracking game

“Whilst it is disappointing to conceded from set pieces again, on the whole we played some really good football and scored some very good goals”, commented Michael MacNeill, Football Development Manager with the Islington Football Development Partnership (Islington Council, GLL and Arsenal in The Community).

It was an exciting game for the youingsters who will have learned much from it.