Staff Quick Links

Staff Quick LinksOpen/Close

Norlington School and Sixth Form

Football

Norlington School & Sixth Form
Football Match Reports | Autumn Term 2025

Norlington Year 9 vs Riverside

London Cup – Second Round
Norlington 4–4 Riverside (Norlington win on penalties)
Norlington produced a performance of immense grit, spirit and drama as they edged past last year’s Essex Cup champions Riverside in a pulsating London Cup second-round tie that had everything: defensive resilience, attacking flair, late heartbreak, and last-second redemption.
Facing the strongest opposition they’ve met this season, Norlington set up in a disciplined 5-3-2, aiming to frustrate Riverside’s well-known attacking threat. The game plan worked superbly early on. The back five stayed organised, the midfield worked tirelessly to shut down passing lanes, and George Burns and Musa Raza chased relentlessly up top, forcing mistakes and giving Riverside little comfort.
But two uncharacteristic lapses in communication cost Norlington dearly, gifting Riverside a pair of soft first-half goals. Despite the scoreline, the team went into the break knowing the structure was working — and they came out transformed.
A switch in shape after half-time ignited the comeback almost instantly. First, Laith Dustagheer whipped in a corner that flew directly into the net, sparking belief. Just minutes later, George Burns squeezed in a finish from an impossibly tight angle to level the match at 2–2.
From that moment, Norlington seized control. The press was relentless, the tackles fierce, and every attack carried intent. The breakthrough came when goalkeeper Ahmed Wasim launched a towering goal kick that bounced over the Riverside back line. Burns pounced, meeting it on the volley from 20 yards to fire Norlington into a 3–2 lead — a stunning goal that sent the sideline into uproar.
Norlington looked firmly in charge, but football is rarely that simple. With ten minutes remaining, Riverside snatched an equaliser on the counter. Then, with just two minutes left, another Riverside break caught tired Norlington legs scrambling, and suddenly the hosts were 4–3 down. Agony.
But this Norlington side does not quit.
With seconds left — literally ten on the referee’s watch — Musa Raza tore down the wing and delivered a perfect cross. Laith Dustagheer controlled, steadied himself, and buried the finish to complete a heart-stopping equaliser. 4–4. Penalties.
Laith, Ahmad and Isa all converted confidently. Tarik Beekawoo showed courage to step up but saw his effort saved. The pressure then fell to Ayhem Moustefauoi, who stood over the decisive kick as the calmest man in Peter May sports Centre, One composed run-up, one ice-cold finish — and Norlington were through.
Final Score: 4–4 (Norlington win on penalties)
Norlington Scorers: Laith Dustagheer, George Burns (2), Isa
Assist Highlights: Ahmed Wasim with a long-range assist from a goal kick
Players of the Match:
George Burns – relentless work rate, two crucial goals, constant threat.
Musa Raza – tireless pressing, creativity throughout, and the last-second assist that saved the cup run.
A heroic performance — dramatic, deserved, and unforgettable. Norlington march on.

Norlington Year 9 vs Heathcote School

Result: Norlington 5 – 2 Heathcote
Venue: Leyton County Ground

Norlington Year 9s produced a brilliant all-round performance to secure a   5–2 victory over Heathcote School in an exciting midweek fixture.

After soaking up some early pressure, Norlington found themselves 1–0 down following a sharp Heathcote attack. However, the setback only seemed to wake the team up, and from that moment onwards, Norlington took control of the game with confidence, composure, and quality football across the pitch.

The comeback began when George Burns latched onto a clever pass from Isa Dustagheer, finishing coolly to level the score. Moments later, Burns struck again — this time set up by Ibrahim Malik, slotting home to put Norlington ahead. His hat-trick was completed in style with a stunning long-range strike from 25 yards, a goal that drew loud cheers from teammates and spectators alike.

Norlington continued to press and extend their lead. Isa Dustagheer got on the scoresheet himself, capping off a fine display with a well-taken goal after a neat assist from his brother, Laith Dustagheer. The scoring was rounded off by Elias, who calmly finished following a clever through ball from Isa.

Heathcote managed to pull one back late on, but by then the damage was done — Norlington were in complete control and saw out the match confidently.

Man of the Match: ⭐ George Burns – for his superb hat-trick and all-round attacking performance.
Special Mention: Leo Switala – stepped up heroically in goal, making several crucial saves, especially in the first half when Heathcote were on top.

A fantastic team effort, great spirit, and another impressive result for the Norlington Year 9s.

Norlington Year 9 vs Oaks Park

Match Report: Norlington 4–2 Oaks Park

Norlington recorded a strong 4–2 win over Oaks Park in a well-contested school fixture, showing both attacking quality and determination throughout the game.

First Half:
Norlington started the match with real intent, dominating possession and creating a number of chances. Musa Raza opened the scoring with two excellent solo goals, showing great skill and composure to give Norlington control of the game. George Burns added a third before half-time, finishing off a well-worked move to make it 3–0 at the break.

Second Half:
Oaks Park responded well after the restart, scoring twice to bring themselves back into the game and putting Norlington under pressure. However, Norlington held their nerve, and Laith Dustagheer sealed the result with a superb long-distance strike late on to make it 4–2.

Full-Time: Norlington 4–2 Oaks Park

Player of the Match: Musa Raza — Two brilliant solo goals and an outstanding all-round performance.

Norlington Year 9 vs Highams Park School

Result: Highams Park 5 – 1 Norlington

The Year 9s faced a tough fixture against Highams Park School, coming away with a 5–1 defeat that did not tell the full story of the game. Despite the scoreline, the team produced moments of real quality and showed plenty of promise, especially from those making their debuts.

Highams Park started brightly and converted their chances clinically, but our boys never stopped competing and continued to push forward. Tariq, Bilal, and Malik all made impressive debuts, showing confidence and composure in their first appearances for the side. Their energy gave the team an extra lift, and they’ll be important players going forward.

Norlington’s only goal came midway through the game, when Laith Dustagheer calmly slotted home from the penalty spot, giving the team a deserved reward for their attacking efforts. Further opportunities followed, but luck wasn’t on Norlington’s side.

Man of the Match: ⭐ Riley Kwaku Akhar Graham – tireless throughout, leading by example with determination, skill, and relentless work rate both on and off the ball.

Although the result was disappointing, there were plenty of positives. The team showed resilience, moments of attacking flair, and clear signs of development. With more games to come, this group is building towards stronger results.

Norlington Year 10 vs Holy Family School

Waltham Forest League | 25th September 2025 | Douglas Eyre
Result: Holy Family 2 – 1 Norlington

Norlington Year 10 opened their Waltham Forest League campaign against a strong Holy Family side who came into the match on the back of a convincing 5–0 win in their previous fixture.

From the first whistle, Norlington looked organised and disciplined, keeping their defensive structure tight and frustrating the opposition. An early chance fell to Omar Halane, who broke forward into space and found himself one-on-one with the goalkeeper, but his effort went narrowly wide.

The breakthrough came just before half time when excellent play from Owen Haye created an opportunity, and Muhammad Murad reacted quickest inside the box to slot home the opening goal. Norlington defended magnificently to carry a 1–0 lead into the break.

The second half saw Holy Family increase the pressure, forcing Norlington into deep defensive work. The boys dug in tirelessly, with countless tackles and blocks to keep their opponents out. With 20 minutes to play, Holy Family finally broke through to equalise, making it 1–1. Despite Norlington’s continued resilience, the visitors struck again late on, capitalising from a long throw to edge ahead with just five minutes remaining.

Norlington pushed right until the final whistle, showing determination and togetherness, but narrowly fell to a 2–1 defeat.

Man of the Match: ⭐ Marwan Abdul Karim – immense at the back, producing a series of last-ditch challenges and showing composure to keep the team in the game.

Despite the disappointment of the late defeat, it was a promising start to the season for Norlington. The players’ hard work, resilience, and organisation showed plenty of positive signs against one of the league’s strongest sides.

Norlington School U12 vs Holy Family School U12

Norlington School Under 12s produced a spirited and determined performance in a thrilling goalless draw against Holy Family Technology College. Despite the match finishing 0–0, it was full of excitement, end-to-end play, and plenty of chances for Norlington to take the lead. Norlington started brightly, moving the ball well and showing excellent teamwork throughout the match. The boys pressed hard, defended solidly especially Marzuk Rahman and Aladar Meszaros , and demonstrated great discipline across the pitch. Their passing and communication in midfield were particularly strong, with the team working tirelessly to regain possession and push forward at every opportunity. The best chance of the match came from Man of the Match: ⭐ Adam Matrouh, who struck the post with a powerful shot that shook the goalframe — a moment that had the crowd gasping in disbelief. Soon after, Daniel Liverpool went close again, his effort narrowly missing the target by inches. While Norlington controlled large periods of the game and showed great determination, they just couldn’t quite find the decisive touch in front of goal to convert their pressure into a breakthrough. Overall, it was a fantastic team display full of effort, commitment, and promise. The boys finished the match in high spirits and should be very proud of their performance. With this strong showing, Norlington look confident and ready to carry their momentum into their next game.

↑