Beveree Chat

Hampton & RB U18s 7-1 PFC Victoria U18s
Tuesday, 4th November 2025
7.45pm, Bedfont Sports Club

First half report
Hampton & Richmond Borough's Under 18s hosted PFC Victoria at Bedfont Sports Club tonight, Tuesday, 4th November, in the (Jeff Ritson) Middlesex Senior Youth Cup, 2nd Round, kick off was 7.45pm (not 7.30pm, as claimed on the FA Full Time website!) This fixture had originally been scheduled to take place last Friday evening at Hanworth Villa's Rectory Meadow, but it was postponed due to lightning!

Hampton kicked off wearing our red shirts, red shorts and blue socks, shooting towards the east (Bedfont FC) end of the ground. PFC - which I learned tonight stands for Polish Football Club - wore sky blue tops with black shorts and socks. Steve Bates was in Yeovil this evening on first team duty with Wealdstone FC, so Hampton's dugout was occupied by the management team of Kieran Jackson, Anthony Weir, Martin Hyde and Johnny Doherty.

After having the better of the opening exchanges, Hampton took the lead in the 11th minute, Joel Doherty getting onto the scoresheet after a clever one-two with Kai Cooper, poking the ball in off the post. Hampton continued to press and won a corner in the 16th minute, after good work from Seve Cushing, taking the ball round two players then searching for Tim Salaghishvili. Nothing came of that corner, but it wasn't long before Hampton went further ahead in the 17th minute, Kai Cooper scored a spectacular bicycle kick from inside the area, connecting with a Finn McGreevy cross. With 20 minutes played the ball had seldom been outside the PFC Victoria half, Hampton's Lucius Russel cut a lonely figure in the home goal, although to his credit he was in frequent communication with his defenders.

Hampton seemed to line up with a 4-2-3-1 formation: the back four saw centre-backs Archie McKenna and Jack Griffin supported by Seve Cushing on the right and Rio Lamb on the left. Tom Maddigan (left) and Kai Cooper (right) played just in front of the defence; behind an attacking midfield three of Finn McGreevy, Tim Salaghishvili and Joel Doherty. Tyler Andrew-Flower (who recently netted for the first team in the Middlesex Senior Cup) led the forward line for the Beavers.

PFC Victoria made a fairly early change in the 29th minute, their #11 being replaced by #8 (apologies, no team sheet for the visitors, so no names!) Lucius Russel was finally called into action in the 33rd minute, saving a curling effort from just inside the area after a rare foray forward for the visitors. Hampton fans won't be pleased to read that Finn McGreevy appeared to be limping for several seconds after a robust challenge, but he recovered and stayed on the pitch, so thankfully it doesn't look too concerning. Indeed it was McGreevy who put the game beyond doubt in the 37th minute, Kai Cooper played him through and he made no mistake from 10 yards out, to make the scoreline a comfortable 3-0 to Hampton. In the final minutes of the half PFC Victoria - who play their league football in the (Tony Ford) Combined Counties Youth League, West Division, considered a lower level than Hampton's league - enjoyed more possession, but without really threatening Hampton. Three nil to the Beavers at half time!

Second half report
Joe Wells, the son of former Hampton centre-back Dean Wells, was in attendance, making a lap of the ground at half time with Tom Morgan (Tom plays for the Under 18s but has a leg injury; Joe was previously with our academy but has now signed first team forms at Bedfont Sports).

PFC Victoria made a triple change at half time and switched to three at the back. Hampton lined up without any changes. The only other change to note is the match referee's shirt... the eagle-eyed Hampton support noticed that Mr Fondie had swapped his long sleeved shirt for a short sleeved one! Isn't it meant to be the other way around as the evening progresses? The early part of the second half was interrupted twice by players requiring treatment, firstly Tim Salaghishvili, then Jack Griffin, but both continued. Throughout the evening several loud cheers, and a fog-horn, could be heard from the nearby Orchard ground, home of Bedfont FC, where the yellows led Westside 4-1 at half time!

Finn McGreevy made a run at the defence, taking the ball to the line and squaring into the danger zone, but nobody was there to meet it, "you've gotta run across to the front post Tyler!", came the cry from the Hampton bench. Moments later Kai Cooper played Finn McGreevy through, but the offside flag was up. Hampton's fourth came in the 60th minute. Tim Salaghishvili timed his run perfectly to receive the ball and take a shot from outside the area, slotting low past the keeper and into the corner of the net. Jack Griffin was then subbed off with an injury, seemingly unable to continue following the knock he received earlier, being replaced by Danny Beck-Nardoni in the 61st minute. McGreevy struck a shot just over the bar in the 62nd minute as the match sprung to life. Hampton went 5-0 up in the 66th minute, Finn McGreevy slotted his shot home from an acute angle, following Kai Cooper's inch-perfect pass.

For all their dominance, Hampton didn't manage to keep a clean sheet. PFC Victoria scored a consolation goal in the 70th minute, a free kick was deflected into Lucius Russel's goal. PFC Victoria's bench kindly confirmed the goal scorer's name as Alex Czekalski. Just after this goal, Paco Lubien was substituted on, replacing Tim Salaghishvili. In the 75th minute, Finn McGreevy played Joel Doherty through, but he shot straight at the visiting keeper, who stood firm to chest the ball away. Hampton's bench encouraged Tyler Andrew-Flower to keep talking to his players and stay in the game, "I have done!", came the defiant (churlish?) response from the young forward.

Paco Lubien blasted in Hampton's sixth goal in the 83rd minute, striking from the 18 yard line into the top of the net after picking up a loose ball following a Hampton attack. Finn McGreevy, searching for his hat-trick, moved inside the area and struck a powerful shot towards the keeper, who parried it away for a corner. But in the 89th minute he got his reward for an industrious performance, McGreevy's powerful shot was deflected off the crossbar and into the net. Unusually, there was no additional time at the end of proceedings and the final whistle went soon after this goal. Hampton progress to the next round of the county cup, due to visit Honeycroft to take on Uxbridge FC, date to be confirmed but scheduled for week commencing 17th November.

Hampton & RB 7
Doherty 11'
Cooper 17'
Salaghishvili 60'
McGreevy 37', 66', 89'
Lubien 83'

PFC Victoria 1
Czekalski 70'

Line-up:
Hampton & RB: 1 Lucius Russel, 2 Seve Cushing, 3 Rio Lamb, 4 Jack Griffin, 5 Archie McKenna, 6 Tom Maddigan, 7 Tim Salaghishvili, 8 Kai Cooper, 9 Tyler Andrew-Flower, 10 Joel Doherty (Cpt), 11 Finn McGreevy.
Subs: 14 Paco Lubien (on for Salaghishvili, 71'), 15 Danny Beck-Nardoni (on for Griffin, 61')

Referee: Tom Fondie
Assistants: Lewis Rescorla, David Hayes
Attendance: 34 (headcount by Chris Hurst)

Never knew it was being played!

MK