- Lymore Gardens FC 1-0 Woodford Town FC: In what was competition debutants Lymore Gardens’ first ever FA Vase tie, following their promotion to step 6 that summer, the east London based club would put in a heroic team performance to overcome a very good step 5 side, in Woodford Town, at The Techsoc Stadium. The club’s all time top goalscorer, Dylan Roberts, would score what turned out to be the winning goal of the tie, but the intensity and all-round teamwork shown by Lymore in this game, was immense.
Woodford Town would have been the favourites to win this first round qualifying tie, but it was a team performance from Lymore, which would see them carry on improving in their first season in this famous old competition, and one which they very impressively finished in the fifth round of, during the season just gone.
My match report: https://nonleagueandacademyfootballwriter.co.uk/2025/08/22/lymore-gardens-fc-1-0-woodford-town-fc-my-match-report-from-the-techsoc-stadium/
- Hilltop (Midweek) 4-4 Spicegun FC (Spicegun won on penalties): In the final of last seasons’ Islington Midweek Football League Ken Doherty Memorial Astro Cup, Division One champions, Spicegun, faced a very good Hilltop (Midweek) side, at Market Road Pitches last month. Spicegun went into the half-time break 2-0 up. But, in a second half of real drama, Hiltop would go on to get the game back to 2-2, before then establishing a two goal lead of their own. But, late on, and from pretty much nowhere, Spicegun would take the game to penalties, with two goals in quick succession, before then winning the game on penalties (4-1). What a cup final this was!
- AC Milano 1-2 East London Ballers Reserves:
In the final of the Essex Sunday Corinthian Football League’s Corinthian Cup, AC Milano, who would later win the Senior Division, would face a talented East London Ballers Reserves side, who had already won Division Two. East London Ballers Reserves, who were two divisions below AC Milano, would put in a brilliant team performance to win this prestigious cup competition 2-1, at Victoria Road (Dagenham & Redbridge). What a memorable evening it was for East London Ballers Reserves, who also had a great season overall.
My match report: https://nonleagueandacademyfootballwriter.co.uk/2026/05/21/ac-milano-1-2-east-london-ballers-reserves-my-match-report-from-dagenham-redbridge-fc/
- Nottsborough 2-2 London Fennecs (London Fennecs won on penalties): This was undoubtedly the best game of all of the many matches which I attended in grassroots football, last season. Top Southern Amateur Football League side Nottsborough, would go into half-time of this Amateur FA Senior Cup final against then step 7 Middlesex County Football League side London Fennecs, 2-0 up. During the second half however, London Fennecs would put in an outstanding performance to take the game to extra-time, and then penalties, which they would win 5-4, to win their first ever county cup, on what was a very proud day for all connected with the club.
- Hilltop FC 2-1 FC Olympia: In the final of last seasons’ (2024/25) prestigious Somali British Champions League, which was played at the beginning of last season, between Hilltop and Birmingham based side FC Olympia, the final took place in Bristol. Promising to be a great game of football, in a great competition, it was Hilltop who would go on to win this prestigious competition on more than one occasion, for the very first time in the history of the tournament. However, they had to show great character to come from behind against a strong FC Olympia side, to make it 2-1, before then managing the game expertly late on, to win what was a great cup final to cover on my blog.
My match report: https://nonleagueandacademyfootballwriter.co.uk/2025/08/11/hilltop-fc-2-1-fc-olympia-my-match-report-from-oaklands-park-stadium/
Non-League and Academy football writer 
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