Match Report: No home comforts as Reds exit cup

With this Middlesex Senior Cup Semi-Final being switched to Honeycroft, Uxbridge were looking to finally get their season back on track and get a confidence boosting win, ahead of a real crunch match against Tiverton this coming Saturday. Southall however had other ideas, as they came away victorious and moved into the final against Broadfields.

Injury ravaged Uxbridge fielded much of the same side, who were unable to hang on to the win at Basingstoke on Saturday - with Josh Boorn replacing the injured Cole Brown, and new signing Yannis Drais making the starting line up. As the away side, Uxbridge were in their change strip, however it was Southall who made them feel blue, as they took an early lead on just 3 minutes, the dangerous Makael Scott, burst down the left hand side, outstripping the Uxbridge defence and fired a precise low shot into the far corner. He nearly repeated the trick just two minutes later, his pace and quick feet causing consternation in the Reds defence, however this time his shot was well held by Marco Underwood. Uxbridge slowly came more into the match, and on ten minutes had a golden opportunity as Troy Perez-Duah’s fine cross was headed narrowly wide by Nams Nwachuku when well placed in the box. A minute later, Perez-Duah turned creator again, with a neat chipped ball into the box, but Billy Montague was unable to control the ball on the stretch and it went wide. The pressure finally paid off though on 18 minutes, as Montague threaded a fine ball through the Southall rearguard, and Nams was quickest to react and poked the ball home to level the scores. Scott again proved a real tormentor to Uxbridge, and he nearly restored the visitors lead midway through the half, but his fine run and shot went narrowly past the far post, with Underwood at full stretch. The game drifted to half time, however it was Scott who would have the final word, as he switched flanks, and this time broke into the box on the right - he was adjudged to be brought down in the box and Alex Body stepped up to take the resultant spot kick to wrong foot Underwood to give Southall the lead at the break.

HT 1-2

It was another early goal that put Southall further in front as just nine minutes into the second half a fine cross from the right was headed home unmarked for the visitors third goal - leaving Uxbridge with a real mountain to climb. It was the visitors who nearly made it four soon after though, as a fine low shot was well pushed round the near post by Underwood - with Uxbridge unable to get any meaningful attacks through a well organised Southall side - who belied their lowly position in the Isthmian League South Central. Uxbridge did come to life as the half wore on - with George Moore doing well to combine with Ada Okorogheye on 72 minutes, but his shot was straight at Czerwonka in the visitors goal. There came a gilt edge chance just two minutes later, as two Southall defenders went for the same high ball, and clashed heads - leaving Okorogheye with a clear run on goal, however before he could pull the trigger one of the defenders got back to deny him the chance. Uxbridge did set up a grandstand finish with six minutes remaining, as good work by Moore again to hold off two defenders, saw the ball worked wide to Boorn, who put over a delicious cross for Okorogheye to make amends and emphatically head home to reduce the deficit. In truth Southall dealt well with the home side for the remainder of the match, with only Perez-Duah’s low shot just evading the far post, the only chance of note. So it was the ‘All who progressed, leaving Uxbridge to try and pick themselves up again - with the “must not lose” match against Tiverton to come.

FT 2-3

Uxbridge: Underwood, Boorn, Bocarro, Fearn (Bullard-Jeffrey), Tanner, Drais (Nnadozie), Moore, Perez-Duah, Nwachucku (Keita), Montague (Rush), Okorogheye