Non-League and Academy football writer

Soccer Stars Fennecs Ascenders faced the leaders of the Division One East & Central of the Middlesex County Football League, LBS Lions, on late Saturday afternoon, in a league fixture at Paddington Recreation Ground. The youthful Soccer Stars Fennecs Ascenders started this match in seventh place in the Division One East & Central table, after 15 matches played. After FC Marylebone had drawn 2-2 with Alexandra Knights in the earlier game at Paddington Recreation Ground, the league leaders, LBS Lions, had already clinched the title before the start of this game. However, this step 8 fixture was won 5-1 by the excellent LBS Lions. Soccer Stars Fennecs Ascenders would start this game well, and after Aneese Messaoudi had hit an effort over the Lions’ goal, from the edge of their box, Uthman Tellia would get to a bouncing ball soon after, also on the edge of the penalty area. His powerful effort on goal was however, punched clear by LBS Lions goalkeeper, Adriano Zoppi. 

After those two early efforts from the home side, the champions would start to grow in to the game. And after Lupo Sconcaforni had hit a powerful effort from 20 yards out, which was well saved by Aurélien Caro, in the home team’s goal, LBS Lions would then go very close to taking the lead. With a lofted effort from distance hitting Aurélien Caro’s crossbar. Soon after LBS Lions, and the league’s top goalscorer so far this season, Andrei Pogan, had got to the ball on the edge of the home side’s box, before seeing his resulting low powerful effort on goal be saved and then gathered by the goalkeeper, LBS Lions would go on to take the lead in this game. The opening goal of this contest arrived courtesy of a well worked move, that saw Antonio Deccache reach a pass on the byline and on the right-hand side of the pitch, before the influential number 10 would the play the ball across to Matteo Toti, on the edge of the penalty area. Matteo Toti would connect really well with the ball, and his powerful effort would expertly find the bottom left-hand corner of the goal, 0-1.

Soccer Stars Fennecs Ascenders would respond really well to going 1-0 down. And shortly after Ayoub Kara Abdellah had hit a powerful effort just over Adriano Zoppi’s goal, from the edge of the penalty area, the home team would be awarded a penalty. Ayoub Kara Abdellah would get to a forward pass in behind the Lions’ defence, continuing forward with the ball down the right-hand side of the visitor’s penalty area, from where he was fouled by the sliding and outrushing goalkeeper, who had tried to get to the ball. Up stepped Uthman Tellia, who clinically found the bottom left-hand corner of the goal from the penalty spot, 1-1. LBS Lions would however, finish the first half well. Firstly, Antonio Deccache’s powerful effort from distance would whistle narrowly wide of Aurélien Caro’s right-hand post, before LBS Lions regained the lead soon after. Once again arriving courtesy of a nicely worked move, this time Matteo Toti would pass the ball to Antonio Deccache, right on the edge of the home team’s penalty area. Deccache would then slip a nicely weighted forward pass to Giorgio Landolfi (on the right-hand side of the penalty area), who finished, low into the goal, beyond the outrushing goalkeeper, 1-2.

After Antonio Deccache and Giorgio Landolfi had exchanged passes, Giorgio Landolfi would hit a really good and powerful effort on the Ascenders’ goal, from just outside of the box, which was well pushed over his crossbar by Aurélien Caro. Soccer Stars Fennecs Ascenders would then travel forward with the ball, down the opposite end of the pitch, with Ayoub Kara Abdellah taking the ball down the left-hand side of the LBS Lions’ box, before seeing his effort on goal be gathered by Adriano Zoppi, at his near post. And just before half-time, LBS Lions would score an important third goal of the game. Lupo Sconcaforni would head the ball down to Antonio Deccache, who turned quickly with the ball, before finishing powerfully in to the bottom right-hand corner of the goal, from 20 yards out, 1-3. The Lions would start the second half well, and at an impressive intensity as a team. Following Victor Feng’s short forward pass to Giorgio Landolfi, Landolfi would have an effort on goal pushed over by the goalkeeper.

As the second half of this game progressed, LBS Lions continued to go close to adding a fourth goal of the game. And not long after, and following a clever passing move, Antonio Deccache would (from the centre of the home team’s penalty area) see his deflected low effort go narrowly wide of Aurélien Caro’s right-hand post. From the resulting corner-kick, the away side would extend their lead, with LBS Lions defender Dumebi Dumaka heading the ball into the goal, after meeting Matteo Toti’s good delivery to the back post, 1-4. A fairly quiet and uneventful spell in the game would follow, but, around ten minutes later, Lupo Sconcaforni would be sin-binned by the referee. And then, after Dominic Krummenacher had received Matteo Toti’s pass to the right-hand side of the Ascenders’ box, before having a low effort on goal saved by Aurélien Caro, the home side would go on to create a number of chances, in quick succession.

Soccer Stars Fennecs Ascenders were really trying to get back in to the game. A really good effort from out on the left flank and from distance, was really well turned around his left-hand post by Adriano Zoppi, before Ayoub Kara Abdellah’s excellent effort from 30 yards out, went just wide of Adriano Zoppi’s right-hand post. However, LBS Lions would finish their first team’s final game of this season in fine fashion. A couple of minutes after Inaki Alonso had hit a powerful effort right across the face of the Ascenders’ goal (from the left-hand side of the penalty area), Zeeshan Shaikh would then curl an effort against the crossbar of the Ascenders’ goal. LBS Lions’ player-chairman, Rafael Trape, would be substituted on for the final minutes of the game, and he would make a good impression on the game.

Soon after being introduced to the game, Rafael Trape would get to the ball on the right-hand side of the Ascenders’ penalty area, before seeing his resulting effort be well saved and closed down by the outrushing Aurélien Caro. And then just before the end of the game, Rafael Trape would deliver a great corner-kick towards the back post of the Ascenders’ goal, from where Dumebi Dumaka would head the ball in to the goal, 1-5. This was a deserved win for LBS Lions, who also deserve to be crowned the champions of the 2024/25 Division One East & Central. Many congratulations to LBS Lions on winning the title. On Saturday they played well as a team, and they were very efficient and well organised, against a good Soccer Stars Ascenders side, who played some good football, and who also worked hard as a team. But, the very experienced LBS Lions were so effective with the ball in the final third, and at creating good goalscoring chances.

My player of the match on Saturday afternoon was LBS Lions player Antonio Deccache (Dumebi Dumaka and Matteo Toti were also contenders), who was involved in three goals (he got one goal and two assists). Antonio Deccache did so much good work with the ball in the forward areas. For Soccer Stars Fennecs Ascenders, and despite competition from the impressive Uthman Tellia, and Ayoub Kara Abdellah, I thought that their player of the match was their goalkeeper, Aurélien Caro.