Non-League and Academy football writer

After their triumphs in the Amateur FA Senior Cup final last Saturday, London Fennecs returned to league action on Tuesday night, when they hosted Indian Gymkhana Club at London Tigers Sports Complex, in a Middlesex County Football League Premier Division fixture. London Fennecs started this match in third place in the Premier Division standings, after 25 league matches played. Indian Gymkhana Club started this game in 15th place in the league table, after 29 league matches played. League title challengers London Fennecs would importantly win this game 3-0.

London Fennecs would take the lead early on in this game. As Michael Babarinde’s excellent, whipped corner-kick delivery into the Indian Gymkhana Club penalty area, was flicked on by Islem Guerniche, to teammate Cameron Sinclair at the back post of the Gymkhana goal. And from there the London Fennecs defender would finish into the goal from close range, 1-0. The away team would defend with a low block, as London Fennecs continued to see so much of the ball. But, after an uneventful spell in the game, and shortly before half-time, London Fennecs’ captain Ramy Rouighi would turn on the ball really well, around 24 yards out from the away team’s goal, before powering an effort off the goalkeeper’s right-hand post.

During the opening stages of the second half, Mouadh Kermani’s corner-kick delivery into the away team’s penalty area, was punched clear by the goalkeeper (Oneeb Parvez), but only to Sobaan Samad, on the edge of the box. The London Fennecs defender’s powerful volleyed effort on goal which was heading for the top left-hand corner of the goal, was stopped courtesy of an outstanding reflex save by Oneeb Parvez. Indian Gymkhana Club would create their first decent goalscoring chance of the game, soon after, following a counter forwards with the ball. And then a couple of minutes later, London Fennecs would be awarded a penalty.

For the penalty, it was awarded following a trip on Ramy Rouighi, after he had played a one-two pass with Ahmed Ayoub, inside of the penalty area. With Youcef Mezaoui’s resulting, powerful effort to the goalkeeper’s left, being superbly saved and kept out by Oneeb Parvez, who got a strong hand to the ball. A long, bouncing forward ball from Oneeb Parvez, would bounce just in behind of the London Fennecs defence, allowing Alex Owuadey to get to the ball. He would try to chip the ball (from over 20 yards out) over the outrushing Rilwan Alowonle-Taiwo, but the ball would be gathered by the London Fennecs goalkeeper.

After having cut inside with the ball from the left flank, Michael Babarinde would hit a powerful, moving effort from 24 yards out, a fraction wide of Oneeb Parvez’s goal, as London Fennecs continued to create chances. But, with a one goal lead over the away team, they still had to be careful. An additional chance which was created by Indian Gymkhana Club, would see Yuvraj Nandha get to a lofted diagonal pass around 20 yards out from goal. His resulting lobbed effort would go over the outrushing London Fennecs goalkeeper, bouncing narrowly wide of his goal.

Soon after being substituted on, Sofiane Hammouda would double London Fennecs’ lead with a fine finish. However, Michael Babarinde would provide the assist. Doing well to turn forwards with the ball down the right-hand side of the pitch, before then delivering a low cross to Sofiane Hammouda, who from the right-hand side of the box, would clip a good finish into the bottom right-hand corner of the goal, 2-0. And before the end of the match, London Fennecs would add a third goal to their tally. And it would arrive after Youcef Mezaoui had received Yasser Boughrira’s pass on the edge of the Indian Gymkhana Club box. With his back to goal, and despite being brought to the ground, Youcef Mezaoui would manage to hold onto the ball, before powering his way past two defenders and finishing in style into the top right-hand corner of the goal, 3-0.

Zack Bettache’s London Fennecs side were deserved winners on Tuesday, against an Indian Gymkhana Club side who worked hard to try and get something from the game. For the away side, I thought that their goalkeeper, Oneeb Parvez, was their player of the match. Following on from an excellent performance on Saturday, this time at left-back London Fennecs player Sobaan Samad was my overall player of the match on Tuesday. Despite competition from Kevin Kaci, Ramy Rouighi, Michael Babarinde, and Islem Guerniche. The title race in the Premier Division of the Middlesex County League, continues to become very interesting.