Camden & Islington 1-7 Brent
Middlesex Schools' FA Bower Cup
Brent’s Under-14 team put together arguably their best team performance of the season to win 7 – 1 away to Camden & Islington. On this form, Brent will give title-chasing Barnet a tough game in their last game of the season in two weeks’ time.
Brent overcame a disrupted pre-match routine to score in the 3rd minute when Dominic D’Souza saw his effort on goal saved before Ray Lluka saw his headed effort saved again. The ball fell to D’Souza in the six-yard box who tucked away the chance.
One minute later D’Souza headed narrowly wide from a Shammar Swaby cross before Sahr Dugba put Swaby through and he saw his shot saved by the Camden & Islington goalkeeper’s legs.
Swaby saw another effort with his left foot again well saved before his cross from the left was headed home by D’Souza in the 10th minute. The industrious Swaby did well minutes later, chasing down the home defenders and winning the ball back before crossing to Felix Amoah who shot wide.
Brent scored their 3rd goal in the 18th minute when Lluka won the ball in the middle of the park and driving forward scored with a low shot from a full 25 yards out. Lluka almost scored his second goal a minute later when he won a free kick and his shot from the set piece cleared the Camden & Islington crossbar.
Brent further increased their lead in the 29th minute following great work from Saul Mensah on the right who delivered a perfect cross for Amoah who finished well to make it 4-0. With Brent attacking continually, Swaby scored Brent’s fifth goal two minutes before half time with a spectacular shot from well outside the penalty area to make the score 5-0 at half time.
The second half began with Mason Spencer in the Brent defence doing well and blocking a home shot on goal for a corner. Brent then nearly extended their lead when Dugba saw his free kick going inches wide. Mensah deservedly scored Brent’s 6th goal in the 50th minute cutting into the Camden & Islington penalty area from the right before holding off two defenders then smashing the ball home.
Camden & Islington scored a consolation goal back in the 60th minute with a shot from just inside the Brent penalty area before Mensah saw his effort on the home goal go just wide.
Brent wrapped up the scoring with their 7th goal of the game in the final minute when Swaby once again provided the assist for D’Souza who ran through on goal before scoring with his right foot just inside the far post for his second hat-trick in consecutive games for Brent.