Team of the Decade revealed - Strikers

Greensnet Editor
Tue 31 Dec 2019, 09:53

Finally, we take a look at the two men to take the striking berths in your team of the decade.

Firstly Kezie Ibe makes the cut. Signed in the summer of 2014 after a spell at Basingstoke Town, the vastly experienced front-man forged a highly successful partnership in the first half of the 2014/5 season with Leon Smith and the second half of the campaign with Aaron Morgan. Kezie ended the season as top scorer with 28 goals, the most memorable of which was probably his strike against Kingstonian at Earlsmead where a shuffle and drop of his shoulder sent two Ks defenders off towards Northolt Park, before he turned and curled a left footed shot beyond Rob Tolfrey. In the two seasons that followed, Kezie was one of the few constants, often ploughing a lone and frustrated furrow up front but always putting the team before himself. HIs hold up play was second to none and although the goals dried up, his ability to bring team-mates into play didn't. He left the club in the middle of the 2017/8 season, seeking regular football, and has since been with Harlow Town, Egham United and Enfield Town.

It's no surprise that Kezie's partner is Niko Muir. Originally signed in 2012/3, Niko left without making an appearance and spent many years banging in the goals at Northwood. Niko did have the occasional spell elsewhere, but it wasn't until the start of the 2016/7 season when he joined us at SJP that he truly felt at home at Step 3. After a slow start, Niko went on to score 11 goals before joining Leiston midway through the campaign where he partnered the league's top scorer, Matt Blake.

Finding the travelling too much, Niko rejoined the Greens in the summer of 2017 and quickly hit his straps. His hat-trick against Burgess Hill Town in February 2018 was is 4th of a campaign which saw him become only the second Hendon player to score 40 goals in a season in the semi-professional era. A midwinter trial at QPR came to nothing and he eventually made the move north to Hartlepool United in the summer of 2018. He is currently midway through a loan spell with Hemel Hempstead Town.

The full 11 is:
1. Tom Lovelock
2. Chris Seeby
3. Ollie Sprague
4. Casey Maclaren
5. Elliott Brathwaite
6. Charlie Goode
7. Josh Walker
8. Dave Diedhiou
9. Niko Muir
10. Kezie Ibe
11. Ashley Nathaniel-George

The second string XI isn't bad either:
1. Berkley Laurencin
2. Jake Eggleton
3. Scott Cousins
4. Kevin Maclaren
5. Luke Tingey
6. Arthur Lee
7. Shaquille Hippolyte-Patrick
8. Jamie Busby
9. Leon Smith
10. Belal Aite-ouakrim
11. Darren Currie