Non-League and Academy football writer

One game away from competing in a prestigious league cup final at Uxbridge FC, Chiswick Celtic faced FC Phoenix at King’s House Sports Ground on Sunday morning, in a semi-final tie of this season’s John Andrews Division One Memorial Cup. Both Middlesex County Football League Sundays Division One sides, Chiswick Celtic are were at the top of the Division One standings when this game started, with FC Phoenix in fifth place in the Division One standings, having played three league games less than Chiswick Celtic. On Sunday however, it was Chiswick Celtic who won this important cup tie (6-1), to make it into next month’s final.

FC Phoenix would create the first goalscoring chance of the game. Following a corner-kick for the away side, the ball was recycled inside of the Chiswick Celtic penalty area, and in a bit of space in the centre of the box, Wayland Sanders would see his low effort on goal be well blocked behind, off a Chiswick Celtic defender. Despite this cup game having got off to a good and competitive start, Chiswick Celtic would soon take the lead. Starting with a lovely forward pass from the home side’s captain, Zac Khlaf, the ball would find Isaac Leach, inside of the FC Phoenix penalty area. Isaac Leach would then play the ball back across to the now onrushing Zac Khlaf, who had ran inside of the box. From where he finished low beyond the FC Phoenix goalkeeper, 1-0.

After Chiswick Celtic player Munyaradzi Nheta had won the ball really well in the midfield area, he would play a nice pass towards his teammate and forward, Callum Cameron. Closely followed by a Phoenix defender, Cameron’s low effort from the edge of the away team’s penalty area, would go narrowly wide of their goal. And although this was certainly proving to be a really good spell in the game for the home side, FC Phoenix would then (around five minutes later) go very close to drawing level in the tie. As Chiswick Celtic’s goalkeeper Ryan Fenn, made a superb reflex save to somehow stop a powerful headed effort on his goal by Wayland Sanders, following a good cross into the box.

From almost drawing level, FC Phoenix would then concede a second goal, soon after. The impressive Michael Lynch’s curling free-kick delivery into the FC Phoenix penalty area, from over 30 yards out (on the right-hand side of the pitch), was just missed by Munyaradzi Nheta, in front of the FC Phoenix goalkeeper. However, following through at the back post was Callum Cameron, who managed to help the ball over the goal-line, 2-0.

By this point in the game and Chiswick Celtic were playing some superb football, as they moved it around the pitch at pace, and with real purpose. Goal number three of Sunday morning would arrive soon after the resumption of play, with Michael Lynch providing the assist once again for the hosts. His cross (he was in quite a bit of space, when he received the ball) from out on the right-hand side of the pitch, was met on the volley by Zac Khlaf, on the left-hand side of the FC Phoenix penalty area. And Zac Khlaf’s brilliant volleyed effort would nestle perfectly into the bottom right-hand corner of George Olalobo’s goal, 3-0. 

Before half-time and Chiswick Celtic would come close to adding a fourth goal to their tally on two separate occasions. Firstly, and Callum Cameron’s brilliantly hit effort from 24 yards out on the FC Phoenix goal, was more than matched by George Olalobo, who made an outstanding save, to tip the ball onto his crossbar. And then a couple of minutes later, the influential Zac Khlaf would lift the ball over to Callum Cameron, on the left-hand side of the away team’s box. Cameron would then play the ball across to Isaac Leach, whose low effort from close range, was really well turned behind by the outrushing George Olalobo.

On the stroke of half-time in this eventful first half of football, FC Phoenix would get a goal back in the game. With Tyrelle Martin playing a clever ball across from the right-hand side of the pitch, towards Scott Fitzgerald, who from the centre of the home team’s penalty area, would finish low beyond the goalkeeper and into the bottom right-hand corner of the goal, 3-1. FC Phoenix would carry the confidence that had resulted in them making the scores 3-1, into the opening stages of the second half of this game.

A good start to the second half by the team from Southall, would soon result in them creating a great chance. As Wayland Sanders headed just wide, across the face of Ryan Fenn’s goal, after meeting Tyrelle Martin’s lofted free-kick delivery to the back post of the goal. A couple of minutes later, and following a nice bit of skill from Wayland Sanders, to work the space down the left-hand side of the Chiswick Celtic box, he would see his powerful low effort beyond Fenn, be excellently blocked on the goal-line by Isaac Leach. That would prove to be a crucial moment in this cup tie.

After that difficult start to the second half for the home team, they didn’t really look back after that, as they returned to playing some excellent football that they had shown during the first half of the game. For Chiswick Celtic’s fourth goal, Zac Khlaf would do well to win the ball off an FC Phoenix player, around 20-25 yards out from goal. Now with room to take the ball forwards, Zac Khlaf would drive forwards with the ball, and inside of the penalty area and one versus one with the goalkeeper, he would finish calmly into the goal for his hat-trick goal, 4-1.

FC Phoenix didn’t have much time to try and go again, when Chiswick Celtic had made it 5-1 soon after. Callum Cameron did well to shrug off an FC Phoenix defender down the right-hand side of the pitch, before going forwards with the ball for a bit, and then playing the ball across to Zac Khlaf, who from just in front of goal, was stopped by the goalkeeper, with Callum Cameron then following through to finish low into the goal on the follow-up, 5-1. Zac Khlaf would impressively score his fourth goal of the game in the resulting minutes, as he managed to do well to control the ball following a corner-kick delivery towards the back post of the FC Phoenix goal. And from there he kept his calm, finishing high into the goal, 6-1.

A good and well hit bouncing effort from distance by FC Phoenix player Dean Worman, was well saved and then gathered by Ryan Fenn, before Wayland Sanders was shown a straight red card for a challenge, soon afterwards. There weren’t a lot of further chances during the latter stages of the game, with Callum Cameron being denied his hat-trick goal by a fine save from a one versus chance with George Olalobo, from inside of the FC Phoenix penalty area. That was the last real chance of the game, on what was a superb day for Chiswick Celtic, as they reached the final of the John Andrews Division One Memorial Cup, in some style.

I thought that this was a very good team performance from Chiswick Celtic, who played their football to great effect. They defended really well for so much of this game, against a good FC Phoenix side, who did create chances to score at key moments in this cup tie, but in front of goal Regan McSweeney’s side were superb. They created a great number of chances, with, in my opinion, FC Phoenix’s player of the match George Olalobo, making some top saves to keep the scores at 6-1 on the day. But, as I mentioned, FC Phoenix did have some good spells in this eventful game. 

For my player of the match award, and although Chiswick Celtic’s captain Zac Khlaf scored four goals, there were some quality performance across their team. Such as the outstanding Munyaradzi Nheta, who more than played his part in this win, the relentless Michael Lynch, and the real presence of their number nine Callum Cameron, who scored two goals. However, with four goals and some great individual play and movement off the ball, Zac Khlaf was my player of the match today. Many congratulations to Chiswick Celtic for the final, and all the very best to both teams for the remainder of this season.