In a quarter-final tie of this season’s Middlesex FA Premier Cup, Staines & Lammas (Middlesex) of the Combined Counties Football League Division One (step 6), faced Civil Service’s first team, of the SAL Senior Division One, at Spelthorne Sports FC on Tuesday evening. Civil Service would progress into the semi-finals of this county cup competition, courtesy of an eventful 6-4 win.
Straight from kick-off Civil Service’s number 9 Josh Valentin came close to putting his side ahead, after reaching a long ball into the home side’s penalty area. However, a couple of minutes later it was Staines & Lammas who would take an early lead. With forward Ryan Danso having been fouled inside the Civil Service box after getting to the ball from the resulting corner-kick delivery. Ryan Danso would then send goalkeeper Reuben Bull the wrong way from the penalty spot, 1-0. However, soon afterwards John Sewell’s Civil Service side would respond. And after Ben Jones had put a great cross into the home side’s penalty area, the ball was eventually cleared to the edge of the box, to Harry Gregory. And the midfielder would in turn curl a good effort into the bottom right-hand corner of the goal, 1-1.
Played in difficult rainy conditions Civil Service’s goalkeeper Reuben Bull would then go on to make two important saves with his feet from relative close range and in quick succession, from Staines & Lammas player Mohammed Alizaie. Following on from those two chances from the well organised home side, a low whipped cross into the Civil Service box (from the right) by Michael Goddard, was met by the sliding Ryan Danso, whose effort went narrowly wide of the target.
In an eventful latter stages of the first half we would see a further three goals be scored. Firstly, and following a good move from Staines & Lammas, their captain Joe Cooper would get to the ball on the edge of the away team’s penalty area, before curling a fine effort into the left-hand corner of the goal, 2-1. Then a good response from Civil Service would result in Jacob Horne’s whipped corner-kick delivery into the Staines & Lammas box being headed towards goal by Dom McCarthy, with Nathaniel Downes side-footing the ball home from close range, 2-2. Not very long at all before half-time another very good corner-kick delivery towards the home team’s goal by Jacob Horne, was glanced into the goal by Josh Valentin (2-3), as Civil Service went into the break ahead.
After a strong early start to the second half by Civil Service the famous amateur side would establish a good two goal cushion. As Jacob Horne’s good run down the left flank to the byline, resulted in his perfect cross into the opposing team’s penalty area being on a plate for Nathaniel Downes, who headed home from close range, 2-4. Straight after play had resumed and with the visitors on top, forward Josh Valentin would get to a flick on down the right-hand side of the Staines & Lammas box, before hitting a low effort off the outside of Conaill Ryan’s left-hand post. Yet soon after that chance in the 58th minute of proceedings Civil Service made it 5-2 in their favour. For his hat-trick goal Nathaniel Downes would run onto Max Cranmer’s lofted ball just inside the home side’s box, before skilfully getting away from a defender with the ball and then finishing emphatically into the roof of the goal, 2-5.
To Staines & Lammas’ credit and despite Civil Service managing their three goal lead effectively, the home side kept on going and believing. Some time after Nathaniel Downes’ third goal of the game Staines & Lammas managed to pull a goal back. With substitute Bobby Cooper getting to a flick on down the right-hand side of the Civil Service box, from where he finished well past Reuben Bull, 3-5. And after Joe Cooper’s powerful low effort on Reuben Bull’s goal from distance had to be well turned behind by the outstretched goalkeeper, Staines & Lammas would make it an anxious end to the game for the visitors. As (following a penalty being awarded to the hosts in the 90th minute) substitute Saaim Rafi would finished low into the goal from the penalty spot, 4-5.
There was to be some superb last ditch defending by Civil Service during the final minutes of this cup tie, before they made sure of the win during the final moments of the game. As Kristian Feed’s low curling free-kick effort on goal (from 25 yards out) was parried by Conaill Ryan, with the influential Harry Gregory alert and following up to finish from close range, 4-6. This was a memorable county cup tie and win for Civil Service, but it was also a game in which a tireless Staines & Lammas (my players of the match for the home side were Lewis Francis and Mohammed Alizaie) played their part in. However, a strong Civil Service side deserved to win, playing their football very well and effectively in difficult conditions.
My player of the match this evening was Civil Service summer signing Nathaniel Downes, a player who continues to really impress for his team. The number 10 scored a great hat-trick of goals on Tuesday, but his relentless work-rate and all-round game was also so impressive and important to his side. Reuben Bull, Jacob Horne and Civil Service’s captain Josh Valentin, were also contenders for this player of the match award.
Team-sheets/match-day squads:
Staines & Lammas (Middlesex):
(1) Conaill Ryan
(2) George Denton
(3) Lewis Francis
(4) Bray Buckley
(5) Josh Stewart
(6) Ryan Delaney
(7) Michael Goddard
(8) Joe Cooper (captain)
(9) Ryan Danso
(10) Sam Healey
(11) Mohammed Alizaie
Substitutes:
(12) Bobby Cooper
(14) Saaim Rafi
(15) Tawfiq Begzad
(16) Joe McBride
(17) Adam Belahcene
Civil Service:
(1) Reuben Bull
(3) Jacob Horne
(4) Markus Dunn
(5) Dom McCarthy
(6) Morgan Lant
(16) Alex Callegari
(7) Max Cranmer
(8) Harry Gregory
(9) Josh Valentin (captain)
(10) Nathaniel Downes
(11) Ben Jones
Substitutes:
(2) Elliot Chan
(12) Kristian Feed
(14) Josh Greiner
(15) Josh Kellett
(17) Seb Hopkins
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