Non-League and Academy football writer

London Fennecs faced Eagles Land Cricklewood at the Terence McMillan Stadium on Saturday afternoon, in a semi-final tie of this season’s The Alec Smith Premier Division Cup. At the time this game had started on Saturday, London Fennecs were in fifth place in the Premier Division standings of the Middlesex County Football League, after 17 league matches played. One place above them in the league table, after 21 league matches played, was Eagles Land Cricklewood. However, in this big cup tie on Saturday, it was Eagles Land who reached the final of this league cup competition courtesy of a 3-0 win on the day.

In the 13th minute of this cup tie, Eagles Land would take the lead, courtesy of a good team move, with the visitors having started the game the better of the two sides. Ronaldo Gashi’s lofted forward pass from midfield, was flicked on by Terryl Harding-Nathan, into the path of Endri Proko, who ran forward with the ball in behind the home team’s defence. One versus one with the London Fennecs goalkeeper, Endri Proko would slot the ball beyond the goalkeeper and to his right, 0-1. Soon after the opening goal of this game had been scored, and an additional, good Eagles Land chance would be created.

Kristo Beshiku’s good, whipped low cross into the London Fennecs box was well laid off by Terryl Harding-Nathan, to Fabian Myzeqari, on the edge of the penalty area. Fabian Myzeqari’s first time curling effort would go over Saeed Pirmoradi’s crossbar, however. Around five minutes later, and London Fennecs would be awarded a penalty by the referee, after Ahmed Ayoub had been fouled inside of the Eagles Land penalty area, after meeting Obinna Nebuwa’s low cross. However, Hocine Krouchi’s low resulting effort from the penalty spot, was well kept out and then gathered by the Eagles Land goalkeeper, Kevin Rruhsi.

Eagles Land had been the more creative side during the first half of this match in terms of goalscoring chances created, and they would soon make it 2-0. A free-kick which had been awarded around 20 yards out from the London Fennecs goal, was taken by Fabian Myzeqari, whose effort took a big deflection off the home team’s wall, as the ball traveled across the penalty area, before being finished well under pressure by Endri Proko, 0-2.

Before half-time and before London Fennecs would create a couple of decent chances before the break, Eagles Land came close to making it 3-0. With Kristo Beshiku receiving the ball on the right-hand side of the home team’s penalty area, before hitting a low effort on goal, which was turned behind by the outrushing London Fennecs goalkeeper, Saeed Pirmoradi. 

London Fennecs would go on to start the second half well. However, Hocine Krouchi was sin-binned by the referee early on in the second half, and Eagles Land did eventually come close to making the most of their one man advantage. As Fabian Myzeqari had played a fine pass across to Kristo Beshiku, down the right-hand side of the London Fennecs box, with Eagles Land’s top goalscorer this season, powering an effort off the goalkeeper’s left-hand post.

London Fennecs did react well to conceding such a good chance to Eagles Land, early on in the second half. And following some good skill from Mouadh Kermani down the left-hand side of the away team’s penalty area, in a tight area he would play a pass across to Riad Akroun, in the centre of the box. But, the London Fennecs substitute would see his high effort on the Eagles Land goal, be well matched and pushed over his goal by Kevin Rrushi. A couple of minutes later, and Ilias Tahraoui’s forward pass would find Riad Akroun, inside the Eagles Land box. However, his low effort would go just wide of Kevin Rruhsi’s goal.

An effort from distance by Islem Guerniche would bounce just in front of Kevin Rrushi, who managed to adjust well in order to turn the ball behind for a corner-kick. And then during the latter stages of the game, Eagles Land would seal the win by adding a third goal to their tally for the day. The influential Fabian Myzeqari would shift the ball across to Ignacio Vasquez, in space inside of the London Fennecs box, after having gone forwards with the ball down the left flank. And one versus one with the London Fennecs goalkeeper, and inside of the penalty area, the Eagles Land substitute would finish low into the goal, 0-3.

Although London Fennecs played their football well for much of this game, it was Eagles Land who deservedly booked their place in next month’s final. They were much more clinical in this game, and they defended well when they were out of possession of the football, but they also used it well when they had the ball. Going  on to create some good goalscoring chances, from which they comfortably won the game from. Congratulations to Eagles Land on reaching their first ever final as a club. They will face either Stonewall or Camden United in the final.

For London Fennecs on the day, I personally thought that Ilias Tahraoui was their player of the match. But, for my overall player of the match, and although Enes Shehu, Kevin Rrushi and Fabian Myzeqari were all contenders, a really good all-round and well balanced performance from Endri Proko (he scored two important goals) results in him being named as my player of the match.