Hilltop - The Ark Academy

Hilltop FC

The Ark Academy

Bridge Road

Wembley

Brent

London 

HA9 9JP

Official Website

Twitter

Ground Number: 1312
Wednesday 22nd May 2024

Hilltop 2nds 1-3 Stonewall
Middlesex County Premier

HILLTOP FC - A BRIEF HISTORY

The club was established in 2005 as a club for the Somali community based in London. The club was named after a road in Stonebridge called Hilltop Avenue, where most of the players lived at the time when the club was formed. In 2007, Hilltop joined Division Three of the Middlesex County League and gained promotion to the second division at the first attempt after a 5th paced finish. Then, after two seasons of mid-table finishes in Division Two, the club left the league, returning in 2014. They picked up where they left off but after finishing bottom, they were relegated back to Division 3 in 2016. A change of management followed and Hilltop finished as runners-up behind Harrow Bhoys in 2017 to win promotion back at the first attempt. This was the start of a successful period for the club as they were Division 2 champions in 2018 and Division 1 West Champions in 2019. Their performance over the two pandemic-hit seasons were good enough for them to be admitted to the Combined Counties League for the 21/22 season. It was a memorable first season in the CCL Division 1. They finished as runners-up to London Lions and then beat Eversley & California in the playoff semi finals. Although they lost to Wallingford & Crowmarsh in the playoff final, certain events meant that they gained promotion anyway. They've spent two seasons in the CCL Premier North, finishing in the bottom half but safely staying up.

Two seasons have been played in the FA Cup but they both ended in defeat. An excellent FA Vase run was enjoyed this season. Hilltop beat Brook House, Knaphill, Amersham Town, Hamble Club & Erith Town. Due to weather-related issues, they had to play their 5th Round game against Romford at Cobham where they lost 3-1 to the eventual Vase winners. In 2019, they won the Middlesex County Junior Cup, defeating Western Athletic 6-1. As the first team has risen through the leagues, the wider club has developed too. In 2021, the club launched a reserve team that competed in the Middlesex County League Division 1, which they won last season to gain promotion to the Premier Division. There is also a women’s team that competes in the Greater London Women’s Football League, not to mention several youth teams. Hilltop draws many of its players from the Somali community in London, and from time to time enters Somali tournaments around the world, having done so in Canada and Somalia. The club also participates in the Somali British Champions League, of which they are the current holders. The team’s success in recent seasons, and its exciting brand of football, has not gone unnoticed. Hilltop manager Abdullah Mohammed was recently appointed as the assistant coach of the Somali national team, and forward Ali Mohamed received a call-up to the senior Somalia side for the first time in 2021 as well.

MY VISIT

This game was decided upon on Sunday after I originally dismissed it due to the 'late' 8 PM kickoff. However, with me being unavailable for my intended Friday visit to Stonewall, I opted to make the most of the dwindling list of options available to me. This would be an easy trip down the Metropolitan Line to a 3G cage near Wembley Stadium and it would also give me the chance to tick off the Wembley Wetherspoons. There was a backup at one point with Camden & Islington playing at Hackney Marshes but that was moved to a floodlit venue, in this case, the New River Stadium in North London. The only issue was the lack of communication on Twitter and the slapdash and sloppy administration of the Middlesex County League fixtures. I completely sympathise with the fact that the secretary is a volunteer. This is why I propose a Wiki-type situation where clubs have the opportunity to alter the fixture status and venues from their end. It is the same for Futbology who seem very reluctant to accept people on board to maintain an excellent app.

 It had rained during all of last night's game, it rained on the way home and it rained on my way to work. The weather's default position it seems after a few days of sun. I was pretty tired too in the morning, so I was glad that it was my short day. The afternoon brought good news as fellow hopper David confirmed the game was on tonight. At a level where communication is minimal due to it being all about the playing side, the groundhopping community is even better and more helpful than usual. I was also cheered up by the rain apparently easing near Wembley and me finally deciding on Wakering Sports for Saturday. They were one of the few clubs that were good at communicating on Twitter which was essential with call-offs quite common due to clubs not being able to raise a team. The Middlesex League was one of the worst for this with Slough Town JFC and Larkspur Rovers both forfeiting three games each along with Hilltop, PFC Victoria and Feltham one apiece. The weather was the chief cause for this with teams unable to make the rearranged midweek games. My planned game next Tuesday at Kodak had already been pulled but credit to Slough for giving a week's notice and they are also one of the most responsive Twitter accounts in the league.

I decided to stay at home a while longer with it being a late kickoff and put my journey back half an hour. I left home at 4.45 with yet more rain pouring. I listened to Radio 5 Live on the way where they were talking about the upcoming General Election. I was easily parked up near Amersham station just after 5 and didn't have long to wait for the Chiltern Line to Harrow. It was an exceptionally quick change and as a result, I was at Wembley Park well in advance. I'm not a huge fan of Wembley Stadium but have to admit it looked great all done up for Saturday's FA Cup Final. It was a 25-minute walk to Wetherspoons 331, JJ Moons in Wembley. It was a bit of a mixed bag. The draught was knackered but my sticky Korean fried chicken bowl and a bottle of Aspalls was great for just over a tenner. I did consider the Thistly Cross Whisky Cask but it was a bit strong with me driving later. Instead, I went for a Hooch which I used to drink regularly when I went up to the Orchard Nightclub in Holmer Green back in the late 90s. Spoons were doing a roaring trade for a Wednesday night but there were some great deals to be had. It was half an hour walk to the Ark Academy where the game was. A bewildering amount of fences confused things but I found a way in eventually. One of the club people mistook me for the referee which was amusing. I was in a decent mood and I met Spud and saw that Hertfordshire Hopper was also in attendance.

Hilltop were 10th in the table and had played just 26 out of their 32 games. They'd not won in four games, their last clash a 3-2 defeat at Slough Town JFC on Saturday. This would be their last home game of the season, the 3G surface being a great help. Stonewall were in 7th, having played three games more. They'd lost their last three, having been thumped 9-0 at potential champions Pitshanger Dynamo on Saturday. The game kicked off late at 8.07, Hilltop in white and Stonewall in a nice pink, blue and white strip. The hosts dominated possession early on but didn't really threaten. Stonewall were awarded a stonewall penalty for handball on 19 minutes, it well struck into the bottom left to see them lead. On 37 minutes it was 2-0, a swift break and a low finish from a tight angle. Hilltop had an injury to one of their players and he had to be chairlifted off, hopefully he will be OK. The first half ended at 8.53 with half time taking exactly ten minutes. On 50 minutes, it was 3-0 to Stonewall, the left winger got to the byline, crossed in for the striker to tap in at the back post. There was a bit of Hilltop pressure and they pulled one back with a scrappy goal on 86 minutes. The keeper could only palm the shot, creating a goal-mouth scramble and somehow the ball found its way into the net. A tetchy game was not helped by a fussy referee and it ended in a bit of a scuffle. By that time though, I and other hoppers were heading back towards the station having left as soon as the whistle went.

THE GROUND 

THE ARK ACADEMY is a venue with an interesting backdrop of Wembley Stadium and other striking buildings. Other than that, the cage has no viewing area but if you are lucky you can stand pitch side. Parking is available although Wembley Park station is a short walk away. There are tons of places to eat and drink though Wembley centre is a half-hour walk away.