Entering the Middlesex FA Premier Cup at the second round stage, was Camden United (of the Middlesex County Football League Premier Division), and PFC Victoria London (of the Combined Counties Football League Division One). Both these sides met on Wednesday evening at Bedfont Sports Club, for this interesting county cup tie. And in what was the first meeting between the two sides since the 2023/24 season, it was the step 7 side, Camden United, who recorded a statement 5-2 victory against step 6 opponents.
Camden United would take an early lead (in the fourth minute) in this game, after Ralford Thorpe had got to the ball down the left-hand side of the PFC Victoria box. His resulting low effort on goal was parried by goalkeeper Ksawery Kukla, as the alert and very inform Matheus Santana finished low into the goal on the follow-up, 1-0. Around five minutes later, PFC Victoria forward Kamil Zielinski would run onto a forward pass in behind the Camden defence. Through on goal inside their penalty area, his chipped effort over the outrushing goalkeeper would clip the woodwork on its way behind.
In the 21st minute of proceedings Camden United would double their advantage for the evening. A good, fast passing move saw Endrit Feka pass the ball to Henry Clark, who in turn played the ball across to Mohammed Al Nashi down the left-hand side of the PFC Victoria penalty area. The Camden United midfielder would keep his composure in front of goal, slotting the ball into the bottom right-hand corner of the goal, 2-0. After Matheus Santana had gone quite close to making it 3-0 for Leon Louis’s side, PFC Victoria did improve in their all-round play, and they did go on to create some good openings before half-time, but they were unable to really test goalkeeper Warren McCreeth.
On to the second half now, and what a lively start to the second half it was! Impressive Camden player Ralford Thorpe would sprint forward with the ball, after winning it 25 yards out from goal. After showing good pace to take the ball forward into the PFC Victoria box, Ralford Thorpe’s powerful effort would hit the outside of Ksawery Kukla’s right-hand post. But, a minute later in the 47th minute of the game, PFC Victoria would pull a goal back in this cup tie. The influential Kamil Zielinski would latch onto the ball following a diagonal pass over the top of the Camden defence and to the left-hand side of their box. Kamil Zielinski would then finish calmly across goal, into the bottom right-hand corner, 2-1.
It had by this stage in the second half proved to be quite end to end in terms of how play was going. The next goalscoring chance saw skilful Camden midfielder Henry Clark pass the ball across to Amine El Koumachi on the right flank. The Camden full-back would then square the ball for Matheus Santana, who in the centre of the PFC box would turn and hit a good effort on goal, which was well saved by Ksawery Kukla. Soon after that chance for Camden United’s top goalscorer this season, PFC Victoria’s top goalscorer in Aleksy Czekalski, was substituted on. And he almost made an instant impression, having controlled the ball well inside the Camden box, before seeing his well struck effort on goal be well and importantly parried by Warren McCreeth.
The momentum was now with PFC Victoria, who would go on to make it 2-2. With a clever intricate move by the away side being started by Kamil Zielinski, and it was finished off by substitute Abdulmalik Odekunle, who turned and kept his composure under pressure inside the box, finishing low into the goal, 2-2. Yet, it was the resilience of the north London club, which went on to win them this cup tie. A couple of minutes after PFC Victoria had made it 2-2, Camden United would retake the lead. Henry Clark’s short pass to Ralford Thorpe down the left would result in him finding Camden substitute Redon Abazi inside the away team’s box. There were some appeals for offside, but Redon Abazi was onside and he would finish high into the goal, 3-2.
Then followed Camden United’s fourth goal of the evening. It arrived courtesy of an indirect free-kick which had been awarded inside the PFC Victoria penalty area as the result of a back pass which had been handled by their goalkeeper. The ball was quickly laid off to Redon Abazi, who whipped a fine effort into the bottom left-hand corner of the goal, 4-2. Then ten minutes later and with Camden United on top again, they would make sure of the win by adding a fifth goal to their tally. Once again it was Redon Abazi with the goal, getting his hat-trick after showing good pace to knock the ball past a defender on the edge of the PFC Victoria box, before taking the ball forward. And inside the penalty area Redon Abazi would finish low and clinically into the bottom right-hand corner of the goal, 5-2.
What a proud evening and result this was for Camden United, who competed, defended and performed really well against a strong step 6 team, who are doing very well in their respective league. For my overall player of the match award (Kamil Zielinski was my PFC Victoria player of the match) it was a very difficult decision. Ralford Thorpe was excellent, as was Matheus Santana and Henry Clark, and so on. However, for his excellent second half hat-trick of goals, Redon Abazi was my player of the match on Wednesday.
Team-sheets/match-day squads:
Camden United:
(1) Warren McCreeth
(3) Sufi Yusuf Ali
(13) George Montgomery
(5) Andi Feka
(2) Amine El Koumachi
(6) Kieran Ali
(16) Mohammed Al Nashi
(8) Henry Clark (captain)
(7) Endrit Feka
(9) Matheus Santana
(19) Ralford Thorpe
Substitutes:
(15) Redon Abazi
(4) Elias Moreno
(12) Samuel Brake
(14) Mohammed Hassan
(11) Nabil Zeitoun
PFC Victoria London:
(12) Ksawery Kukla
(20) Szymon Cendlewski
(26) Volodymyr Lema
(16) Jakub Matwiejszyn
(19) Adrian Stefanksi
(15) Amara Chukwunta
(18) Bryan Czerwonka
(10) Kacper Kloc
(21) Wiktor Dabrowski
(26) Maciej Tajs
(8) Kamil Zielinski (captain)
Substitutes:
(7) Aleksy Czekalski
(5) Artem Karakaptan
(2) Abdulmalik Odekunle
(9) Milan Czerwonka
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