With so much talent on display during the Derwent vs. Halifax game last weekend, it was hard for any player to stand out. Rob Nicholson did just that with a complete display down the left wing for Derwent. Despite his playing time being cut short by injury, Nicholson was a danger throughout, providing directness and flair to the Derwent strike force. Having previously played down both wings, but now preferring to play up front, expect to see Nicholson’s name on the scoresheet a fair few times this season. Possessing both pace and power, Nicholson managed to get in behind a typically strong Halifax defence several times, opening the scoring for Derwent and having several further opportunities to double his tally. Nicholson’s footballing hero is Bolton legend Jay-Jay Okocha, and this seems particularly apt considering his goalscoring start to the season.
What makes Elliot Tester of Halifax the fresher to watch is that he still manages to stand out as an attacking threat in a slick Halifax outfit that also includes Garo Heath and Conor McCoy. In his debut performance in ‘Fax’s comprehensive 3-1 victory over Goodricke, Tester’s mobility between each box was admirable, getting on the end of a couple of crosses. All that was missing was a little more composure in front of the goal to deny him a goal on his first Revolution Premier League start. Porous defences are commonplace in college football and a player with a taste for direct attacking play will no doubt establish himself within the league before the year is up. His work rate means that he has the potential to become the engine room of this team, so don’t be surprised to see Tester filling up his water bottle with petrol at the Shell garage on Lawrence Street before next week’s game.
Like a diminutive, left-footed Jesus, Dyaus Gohil has arisen from the ranks of the Langwith freshers to provide salvation for the yellows’ recent footballing sins. At trials he wowed the Langwith hierarchy with his rapid change of pace and his harlequin-esque ball control. Since then, he has gone on to be an influential force in the Hes East team’s strong start to the new season, picking up two assists against Wentworth. To cap it all off, Gohil has marked himself out as something of a set-piece specialist, delivering free-kicks and corners with an unerring accuracy that is bound to cause all defences in the Revolution Premier League problems.
Gwyn Davies is going to be the Andres Iniesta of college football. He’s an attacking midfielder who possesses good dribbling, pace and precise passing. Against Goodricke, he played as a central attacking midfielder before moving to the left wing in the second half, showing his versatility. He put in a man of the match performance against The Greens, and scored a great goal following a ball roll past his marker, before slotting into the bottom corner. James look like they’re going to be title contenders again this season, and I tip Gwyn Davies (AKA Young Iniesta) to be instrumental to the Black Swan’s terrorising of defences this season.