Non-League and Academy football writer

In the final of this seasons’ John Andrews Division One Memorial Cup, Egham Stags, the current leaders of the Middlesex County Football League (Sundays) Division One, met the second placed side in the table, in Chiswick Celtic, at Uxbridge FC on early Sunday afternoon. In what promised to be an interesting league cup final, it was Egham Stags who won this game, 3-0.

Despite Chiswick Celtic having started this cup final quite well, it was Egham Stags who took an early lead, in the eighth minute of the game. A good and well worked move, saw Samuel Hyde get to a lofted pass out on the right-hand side of the pitch. The Egham Stags player would play the ball across the Chiswick Celtic penalty area, to Liam O’Callaghan, whose effort from close range was well parried by Ryan Fenn. However, on the follow-up and also from close range, Joseph Smith would finish into the goal, 1-0.

Egham Stags had certainly grown into the game well, and by this point in the cup final, they were starting to control the tempo of the game. A clever one-two pass  with Louis Kergoat, started by Harry Foster, would see Foster receive the ball again down the left-hand side of the Chiswick Celtic box. With his resulting effort on goal being well saved by the outrushing Ryan Fenn. And then, after quite an uneventful but tactical spell in the game, just before half-time Harry Foster would receive the ball in a decent position out on the left flank. After turning really well with the ball beyond a defender, the Egham Stags left-back would skilfully progress the ball into the Chiswick Celtic penalty area. Yet, his low effort on goal was saved by the feet of Ryan Fenn.

During the opening stages of the second half, Egham Stags would double their advantage in this league cup final. And their second goal of the game arrived courtesy of a good and intricate move, which ended with the ball being laid off to Jamie Fuller, who from just inside of the Chiswick Celtic box, would finish low and clinically into the goal, 2-0. Chiswick Celtic needed to respond, and shortly after Zac Khlaf had lifted a good pass over the Egham Stags defence, to Munya Nheta inside of their box. The Chiswick Celtic player’s powerful effort on goal would be well saved and kept out by George Douglas.

Egham Stags would have to play most of the second half with ten men, as shortly after Chiswick Celtic had created that good chance to try and get a goal back in the game, Egham Stags’ player-manager, Ronan O’Shea, would be sent off by the referee, after being shown his second yellow card of the game. Chiswick Celtic were  looking to make the most of having an extra player out on the pitch, as they started to see more of the ball. Following Tom Anton’s lofted diagonal pass to Zac Khlaf on the right-hand side of the Egham Stags’ box, the skilful Chiswick Celtic captain would bring the ball down really well inside the box, before seeing his low resulting effort on goal, be well saved by George Douglas.

Egham Stags continued to defend resolutely as a team, with Chiswick Celtic continuing to see more of the ball inside their final third. Next, Michael Lynch would deliver a cross into the Egham Stags penalty area. The ball was initially met by an Egham Stags defender, before being won by Matt Phillips, whose low effort on goal was saved by the feet of the impressive George Douglas. During the very latter stages of this cup final, and in spectacular fashion, Egham Stags would seal the win, by adding a third goal to their tally. With Jamie Fuller having spotted Ryan Fenn off his goal-line, and from close to the halfway line, but still inside of Egham Stags’ half, he would loft a superb effort over Ryan Fenn and into the goal, 3-0. 

Jamie Fuller, Joseph Smith, and Harry Foster were three of some of Egham Stags’ best players from this memorable cup final win for them. However, on the day, and in my opinion, Harry Foster was the player of the match, after putting in a really well balanced and very effective performance at left-back. Many congratulations to this seasons’ John Andrews Division One Memorial Cup winners, Egham Stags, on not only deservedly winning the cup final, but also defending so well as a team for much of the second half, with ten men. On the day they were deserved winners, against a very good Chiswick Celtic team, who didn’t have their very best game of the season.