Clapton CFC’s Men’s First Team cruised into the second round of the London Senior Trophy with their biggest ever competitive away win.
A combination of injuries and rotation meant it was a much-changed but still strong line-up for the final cup competition the club are involved in.
After a cagey start against fellow Step 6 side Rising Ballers Kensington on a perfect pitch at Northwood, the breakthrough came on the half-hour mark. Flavien Stierlen latched onto a through ball from Nathan Cook and poked home to make it 1–0.
Early in the second half, Julian Austin doubled the lead from the penalty spot after a foul on Korahn Gayles in the box.
Moments later, RBK were awarded a penalty of their own for handfull, but keeper Jack Francis produced a brilliant save to preserve the clean sheet.
A home goal there to make it 2-1 could have changed the game, but instead it was Clapton who pushed on. and Austin grabbed his second in the 67th minute, finishing off superb work from Louis Brown.
Late on, two goals in a minute saw David Makisi grab his first goal for the club with a tidy finish following a flowing passing move, then Brown got on the scoresheet himself with a header.
We have a home tie in the next round against the winners of Sporting Hackney or Charlton Athletic U18s, date TBC.