Non-League and Academy football writer

In this Spartan South Midlands Football League Premier Division Cup quarter-final tie, London Lions faced Cockfosters FC, at Rowley Lane, on Wednesday night. London Lions are currently in third place in the Premier Division of the Spartan League, after 20 matches played. They are one place and six points behind second placed side Cockfosters (they have played 21 league games so far this season), in the league table. This step 5 cup match was won 3-1 by London Lions. Early on in this cup match, London Lions player Max Davis, would get to a flick on, on the edge of the away team’s box, following a long ball. Davis would show some good skill on the ball, before seeing his powerful effort on goal be pushed away by the Cockfosters goalkeeper, Charlie Patmore. Soon after that early chance for the home side, a free-kick delivery from Davis, from out on the right flank, was delivered to the centre of the visitor’s penalty area, with Louis Basso heading an effort on goal, which was gathered by Patmore.

There was a bit of a quiet spell in the game, after those two early efforts on the Cockfosters goal, but I though that it was the home side who were playing a bit better than the away side, at this stage of the first half. After Mitchel Hahn’s curling free-kick effort on the Cockfosters goal (from 20 yards out), was held by Patmore, Gavin Kelsey’s Cockfosters side would start to be more creative on the ball, as the first half progressed. Shortly after Ethan Rookard had received a low cross into the London Lions’ box, the forward would turn with the ball, before having his resulting effort on goal be kept out Nathan Bloohn, in the London Lions goal. And then a couple of minutes later, Cockfosters player Cory Ugbomah would win the ball in midfield, before threading a pass towards the run of Malik Nosike, on the left-hand side of the home team’s penalty area, but his resulting low effort would go just wide of the goalkeeper’s left-hand post. 

Just before half-time, and following a free-kick delivery into the London Lions box, the ball was put back into the box, after it had been initially cleared. However, Ethan Rookard would volley an effort wide of the goal. London Lions would start the second half well, soon getting the opening goal of this cup-tie. A cross from the right flank (I believe that the ball was delivered by Max Davis), would bounce towards Mikey Perkins, on the left-hand side of the Cockfosters box. Perkins would then hit a low effort across the face of Charlie Patmore’s goal, which was unfortunately turned into the goal by the defending Cockfosters defender Jandir Da Cruz, 1-0. However, Cockfosters would respond superbly well to going 1-0 down. Matt Thomson, the Cockfosters captain, would deliver a corner-kick, into the London Lions box. The ball was cleared away however, only as far as Jandir Da Cruz, who from inside of the penalty area, would power a low effort into the bottom right-hand corner of the goal, 1-1.

London Lions substitute Austin Lipman, would hit a powerful free-kick effort over the away team’s goal, from distance, before the next goal of the match arrived, not long after the second goal of the game had been scored. Max Davis would manage to get to a clearance, controlling the ball well, before then going on a skilful forward run down the right-hand side of the Cockfosters penalty area, from where he was brought down and fouled by a defender, resulting in the referee awarding a penalty to London Lions. Austin Lipman would step up to take the penalty, clinically finding the bottom right-hand corner of the goal, despite Charlie Patmore diving the right way, 2-1. London Lions were controlling the game well now, and they were looking to score an important third goal of the game. After Mikey Perkins had received a pass on the left-hand side of the Cockfosters penalty area, he would hit a low effort across goal, which was well gathered by Patmore, as the second half of the game progressed.

In the 83rd minute of the match, London Lions would get their third goal of the night. Following some really good work from Max Davis, the skilful winger would, from the edge of the Cockfosters box, play a short pass to Mikey Perkins, who from just inside of the penalty area, would finish into the bottom left-hand corner of the goal, courtesy of a powerful and clinical finish, 3-1. London Lions would see out the remaining ten or so minutes of the game really well, defending their penalty area so well. I thought that the home side deserved to win this cup-tie, over the course of the 90 minutes. This quarter-final tie of the Premier-Division Cup, was between two very good sides, who could well be playing their football at step 4, next season. However, I thought that as a team on Wednesday, that London Lions managed the game really well against Cockfosters, and they were very clinical in front of goal, as well as defending their own goal well, throughout this contest.

I personally thought that in central midfield for Cockfosters, that Malik Nosike, was their player of the match. However, for my overall player of the match, it was a difficult decision, between London Lions players Max Davis, and Mikey Perkins, in the forward areas of the pitch. However, the whole London Lions defence also stood out defensively, with their captain Adam Lipman (he started the game at left-back), and Jamie Cohen (in central defence), just some of the impressive players from this cup-tie. But, in my opinion, highly skilful London Lions winger Max Davis, was the player of the match. He was very influential going forward, more than playing his part in the win.