Non-League and Academy football writer

In this semi-final tie of the 2024/25 season’s Middlesex FA Premier Cup, Southern Amateur League side Civil Service, faced step 6 Thurlow Nunn League First Division South side, AS London, at Wibbandune Sports Ground on Tuesday night. Civil Service are currently in fourth place in Senior Division 1 of the SAL, after 13 matches played. AS London are currently in sixth place in the Thurlow Nunn League First Division South table, after 25 matches played. This promised to be an interesting cup-tie, and it certainly was. Civil Service would progress to the final, with a great 3-2 win, against AS London. The game started well, and at a good pace, with both teams competing really well for the ball. After AS London player Ayub Kadiri had received the ball on the turn and on the edge of the Civil Service penalty area, he would hit a low effort on goal, which was gathered by goalkeeper Reuben Bull. A good move from the visiting side would follow, as Chaka Barnett passed the ball across, from the left flank, to Ayub Kadiri, on the right-hand side of the Civil Service box. Kadiri’s low effort on goal was saved by Bull, with Juan Araque then hitting a low effort on goal on the follow-up, which was well cleared off the line by a defender.

A long ball from defence, by the home side, would see Josh Valentin get to the ball, inside of the AS London penalty area. Through on goal but slightly off balance, Valentin’s effort would go wide of the goal. Both Juan Araque and then Chaka Barnett would hit efforts wide, in quick succession and from the edge of the Civil Service box, wide of their goal. A good save from Martin Arnauchkov in the AS London goal, would see the goalkeeper tip a good, dipping headed effort, following a lofted Civil Service free-kick into the AS London box, over the goal. And then a couple of minutes later, and following Joe Henley’s corner-kick delivery to the near post of the AS London goal, the referee deemed an AS London player to have handled the ball, resulting in a penalty being awarded to Civil Service. Up stepped Will Moore, who sent the goalkeeper the wrong way, with a calmly and clinically taken low effort into the goal, 1-0.

Civil Service were managing the game really well, and by this stage in the first half they were playing very well, in this highly competitive game of football, between two sides who were playing the game at a really good intensity. A decent goalscoring chance for John Sewell’s Civil Service side, would follow. As Sam Hale was found, in space inside of the AS London penalty area, from a deep and lofted free-kick, but Hale’s good headed effort went just wide of Martin Arnauchkov’s goal. And then just before half-time, a good forward move from Civil Service would result in Jack Jones’ low effort from the edge of the away team’s box, being well gathered by Martin Arnauchkov, in what was the final chance of the first half. During the very early stages of the second half, James Flynn had hit a powerful low, moving effort on the AS London goal, which was well pushed behind by Martin Arnauchkov. Then, a couple of minutes after that effort on the AS London goal, and following a long throw-in from Jack Jones, into the AS London box, a second penalty was awarded to Civil Service, as the result of a handball from an AS London player, inside of the penalty area. 

For their second penalty of the game, Will Moore would step up. And this time he finished excellently into the bottom right-hand corner of the goal, 2-0. However, following the introduction of AS London’s top goalscorer so far this season, in Reece Simpson, Civil Service’s two goal lead was quickly reduced to a one goal lead. As Simpson was alert to get to the loose ball inside of the home team’s penalty area, before quickly turning with the ball and clinically finding the bottom right-hand corner of the goal, 2-1. This fast paced and very entertaining game of football, had another twist, however. As AS London quickly made the scores level, soon after having got their first goal of the game. With Chaka Barnett taking the ball into the home team’s penalty area, from the left flank, before hitting a low effort  on goal, which was parried by goalkeeper Grant Walker, who had to be substituted on for Reuben Bull, for the second half. The ball however, would go to Ayub Kadiri at the back post. His first effort was excellently blocked by a Civil Service defender, but on the follow-up he would power an effort into the roof of the goal, 2-2.

Civil Service now had to regain their composure, and they did exactly that, not long after the game had resumed. Jack Jones received a pass on the edge of the AS London box, following a quick passing move. Jones would then turn with the ball, before finding the bottom right-hand corner of the goal, courtesy of a very accurate finish, 3-2. Civil Service really had to defend deeply however, after having regained the lead in the game, with AS London really pushing to get back into the game, straight away. The north London side were passing the ball around the pitch really well, and they would go on to create chance after chance. After Grant Walker had done well to gather a low effort at his near post, from the edge of his penalty area, AS London then came incredibly close to drawing level. An AS London free-kick effort from 25 yards out, was kept out well by Grant Walker. However, after an incredible goalmouth scramble on the line, and some exceptionally brave last ditch defending to somehow stop AS London from scoring, the referee eventually awarded a free-kick to Civil Service, following a foul. 

Grant Walker had stepped in for Reuben Bull, in the Civil Service goal, really well. As the game came towards its very late stages, the outrushing Walker would do ever so well to anticipate the impressive Juan Araque’s through-ball pass (from the edge of the Civil Service box) towards the run of Andy Morris, to clear the ball away. AS London were really pushing for a very late equaliser, really testing a tremendous Civil Service defence. In the final moments of this game, and from a corner-kick, the ball would fall for Victor Doleweerd, inside of the home team’s penalty area. The AS London player did really well to volley the ball towards the goal. His effort however, would go behind off of Walker’s left-hand post. And then a minute or so later, Juan Araque’s powerful effort on goal from 25 yards out, was well watched and then saved by Grant Walker, in the final moments of the game.

This was a superb game of cup football, between two quality teams in their respective leagues. Despite being without so many players for this game, because of injury, I thought that Civil Service were excellent as a team, against AS London. They managed the game so well, and during the second half, with AS London seeing so much of the ball inside of their final third, Civil Service defended incredibly well. One of the world’s oldest football clubs, Civil Service’s first team squad, did the club proud on Tuesday night (they will face step 6 side Brook House in the final of this competition), to beat an excellent side, in AS London side. For AS London, I thought that their impressive forward, Ayub Kadiri, was their player of the match, following a really fine performance, in my opinion. However, midfielder Juan Araque was also very impressive, and he was also a contender for my chosen AS London player of the match award.

For my overall player of the match, of this cup game, there are so many contenders. I could honestly have chosen anyone from the Civil Service team. Players such as their centre-forward Josh Valentin, who led the line so well, doing so much unselfish work, Dom McCarthy, Will Moore, Jack Jones, and Lind Osmani. However, Civil Service’s captain, Sam Hale, put in a magnificent all-round performance in midfield, on Tuesday. He read and anticipated the play so well, really battling for every ball, and covering so much ground.