Non-League and Academy football writer

In the final of this seasons’ highly prestigious Amateur FA Senior Cup, London Fennecs, of the Middlesex County Football League Premier Division, and current SAL Senior Division 1 leaders Nottsborough, competed for the trophy at the excellent HSBC Sports & Social Club, on Saturday afternoon. London Fennecs would win this cup final on penalties, after an excellent game in normal time and then extra time, had finished 2-2.

London Fennecs would come close to taking lead during the opening minutes of this cup final. As Ahmed Ayoub’s flick on following a lofted forward pass, came to Mouadh Kermani, who from over 30 yards out, would spot the Nottsborough goalkeeper, Ben Lancaster, off his goal-line. Mouadh Kermani’s lobbed effort on the half-volley would have to be excellently turned behind by the recovering Lancaster. Nottsborough would react well to conceding that early chance to London Fennecs. A good Nottsborough move would lead to Harry Bayles receiving the ball on the left-hand side of the London Fennecs penalty area. He would play the ball back to the onrushing James Taylor, who from the centre of the box, would hit a powerful first time effort narrowly wide of the goal.

Still early on in the match, and Nottsborough would take the lead. As Dan Barber’s good forward pass had found Ed Gough out on the right-hand side of the pitch and in the final third. His early cross into the box, was met on the half-volley by James Taylor, who finished into the goal in style, with a powerful finish, 0-1. Soon after, and a great bit of skill from Dan Barber, would lead to the highly skilful Nottsborough winger taking the ball to the edge of the London Fennecs box, before doing well to just play the ball into Harry Bayles, who from inside the penalty area was met by the outrushing Saeed Pirmoradi, who made a great save.

Saeed Pirmoradi’s distribution was proving to be very good. One such long pass from inside his penalty area, would find Mouadh Kermani, out on the left flank. He would take the ball forwards and then across to the edge of the Nottsborough box, as his low effort went wide of Ben Lancaster’s near post. Following on from that chance for London Fennecs, and Nottsborough player James Hawkins’ free-kick delivery into the opposing team’s penalty area, was met by the good jump of Ronan Harvey-Kelly, whose header would hit Saeed Pirmoradi’s crossbar.

Both sides continued to play their football confidently, but at this stage in the cup final, it was Nottsborough who were looking the more likely side to get the next goal of the game. And before half-time Nottsborough would make it 2-0. As Laurie Smith had flicked on a long throw-in into the London Fennecs box, and from there the ball was headed home at the back post by Harry Bayles, 0-2. Next, and Ben Lancaster would make a truly outstanding reflex save to turn behind Sobaan Samad’s powerful low effort, following Ahmed Ayoub’s lay off inside of the Nottsborough penalty area. And in a highly eventful first half, on the stroke of half-time, Saeed Pirmoradi would make a hugely important stop to keep out James Taylor’s powerful header on his goal, following a cross into the box.

Despite Nottsborough going on to create the first chance of the second half, as Harry Bayles’ effort (following some good work to win the ball and then go forwards with the ball) was well saved inside of his penalty area by Saeed Pirmoradi, it was a second half which was all about London Fennecs. Zack Bettache’s side had by this point in the game, certainly picked up the pace. They were beginning to play some excellent passing football, as they started to dominate the game. Following a London Fennecs cross and then a partial clearance by a Nottsborough defender, the ball would come to their captain, Ramy Rouighi, on the edge of the box. As his first time effort went narrowly wide of Ben Lancaster’s goal.

London Fennecs, after a really good spell in the game, would manage to get a goal back, and in good time. Saeed Pirmoradi’s excellent long pass from inside his own box, would bounce in behind the Nottsborough defence, for the alert Michael Babarinde, who then took the ball forwards at pace. And now one versus one with Ben Lancaster inside the Nottsborough box, Michael Babarinde would finish low and clinically into the goal, 1-2. Obinna Nebuwa was putting in a really good performance up front for an ever improving London Fennecs side. After Obinna Nebuwa had done really well to hold off a Nottsborough defender on the left flank, he would take the ball across to the edge of the penalty area, where his whipped effort went narrowly wide of Lancaster’s goal.

Still really pushing for a leveller as the second half progressed, it continued to be all London Fennecs. Firstly, and late on in normal time, Mouadh Kermani would progress the ball skilfully to the edge of the Nottsborough box, before playing a short pass out to the highly influential Michael Babarinde. From the right-hand side of the Nottsborough box, Michael Babarinde’s powerful low effort was deflected just wide, and into the side-netting of Ben Lancaster’s goal. However, deep into the second half London Fennecs would score a dramatic late equaliser. 

For the equalising goal, Michael Babarinde, who had been unplayable during the second half, would provide the assist. As after receiving the ball on the right-hand side of the pitch, he would take it forward for a while, before finding Obinna Nebuwa, with a good lofted forward pass. Obinna Nebuwa would do ever so well to hold off a Nottsborough defender, after managing to get in behind the defence. And after entering the penalty area, he would excellently lob the ball over Ben Lancaster and into the goal, 2-2. After London Fennecs had taken the game to extra time, it was Nottsborough who would react quite well during the first half of extra time. However, London Fennecs, right on the stroke of half-time in extra time, came the closest to scoring a goal.

For that goalscoring chance, Hocine Krouchi had headed the ball towards the Nottsborough goal, following a well delivered corner-kick to the back post. And before Ben Lancaster could make the save, Youcef Mezaoui would hit an over-head kick effort off the top of Lancaster’s crossbar. The second half of extra time, was very well contested. But, in the end this final would have to be decided by penalties. Up until the fourth penalty, both sides had a 100% record from the penalty spot. However, a great save from the outstanding Saeed Pirmoradi, from a Nottsborough player’s effort, would allow London Fennecs to take advantage. And by the time it came to penalty number five, Mouadh Kermani would power an effort beyond Ben Lancaster, who did manage to get a hand to the ball, as the ball went into the goal, to win the final for the Middlesex County League side.

Many congratulations to all connected with London Fennecs, who in their first ever final won this prestigious amateur cup, and in some style! At 2-0 down, as a team London Fennecs fought back so well, and after a dominant second half performance against a very good and experienced Nottsborough side, who have a great record in cup competitions, they got the win on penalties. Every single player in the London Fennecs team was a credit to their club, in the way in which they played this game as a team, especially during the second half. Michael Babarinde was outstanding on the right flank as a winger, and during the second half he played such a big part in the cup final, for London Fennecs. He was my player of the match, from the final. However, every single London Fennecs player deserves a lot of credit, today. It was a real team effort. 

For Nottsborough, who were very well organised, and who are a team that I respect a lot in SAL football, I thought that Dan Barber, Ben Lancaster, and Harry Bayles were some of their standouts from this final. What a game of football this was!