MGBSFL: Sunday football round-up: week 26:

4) JOSH PUGH (ATHLETIC BILBAUM)
Eyeing up a free-kick 25 yards out from goal, hit it perfectly with his left foot, bending it round the wall and just inside the far post, into the top corner5) BEN BELL (ATHLETIC BILBAUM)
As the defender cleared the ball to the left-hand edge of the box, Bell brought it down with one touch on his right, before sending an absolutely unstoppable belter into the far top corner of the net with his other foot

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SAVE OF THE WEEK NOMINATIONS:

1) RUSSELL CORIN (HENDON UNITED A)
Leapt to his right and fully stretched, pulled off a remarkable save to turn away Adam Goldman’s goal-bound bullet of a header 

2) ADAM SIMON (CATFORD & BROMLEY)
Made an incredible save down to his left, to somehow turn a goal-bound header from his own player round the post

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QUOTE OF THE WEEK NOMINATIONS:

1) JASON STEIN (OAKWOOD B)
David Moyes had his 63 seconds of joy in Munich and I had my three minutes of joy this morning when Jacob RK finished well to make it 1-1.

2) JORDAN WARENTS (HEATON PARK ROVERS)
“Both teams are a credit to Jewish football, it’s just a shame London teams don’t want to travel to Manchester as it devalues the competition.”

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PETER MORRISON TROPHY QUARTER-FINALS: (number in brackets represents team of division)

NORTH LONDON RAIDERS A (PREM) 6 OAKWOOD B (1) 1
Raiders made light work of their Division One opposition as they comprehensively booked their place in the last four.

Josh Green scored twice, with David Dinkin, Matt Stock, Jordan Marks and Ricky Engleman also all on target.

Manager Rob Richman told jewishnews.co.uk: “A very thorough and professional performance saw us through. We were 3-1 up at half-time and added some gloss in the second half to run out comfortable winners. Matt Stock impressed greatly on his return to the team and it was also very pleasing to see David Rhodes back on the pitch after his broken arm.

“Looking at the bigger picture it was a really great day for the club with our ‘C’ team joining us in the semi finals, an outstanding achievement, and our B team winning an important league game. We have next week without a game but then will focus on some big games and battles to come from the 27th March onwards.”

Jacob Richler Kleiman scored for Oakwood, with manager Jason Stein telling jewishnews.co.uk: “It was always going to be tough ask today and it turned out that way. Raiders were two levels above what we are used to and I’ve got nothing to complain about. The lads carried out everything I asked of them, we made life hard in the first half, worked hard and had a moment to enjoy when we levelled the game at 1-1. David Moyes had his 63 seconds of joy in Munich and I had my three minutes of joy this morning when Jacob RK finished well to make it 1-1.

“2016 hasn’t been great for us and we’ve to lost against a good Team A, a very good new Faithfold A side that Rob has assembled this year and today to an exceptional Raiders side. Good luck to Rob Richman and his players.”

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NORTH LONDON RAIDERS C (2) 4 HEATON PARK ROVERS 2
Rovers’ first game in this season’s competition ended in defeat as Zack Gothelf’s side emerged victorious after 120 minutes.

Marc Woolfe and Alex Goodman scored to take them into extra-time, before Charles Braunstein’s double saw them through.

Jonathan Franks’ wonder goal and Alex Swift’s strike had given the northerners a 2-1 lead. Manager Jordan Warents told jewishnews.co.uk: “It was a great battle, with few clear cut chances for either team. The game arguably rested on the referee’s decision not to send off the Raiders goalkeeper after giving a free-kick for handball.

“Both teams are a credit to Jewish football, it’s just a shame London teams don’t want to travel to Manchester as it devalues the competition.”

MATCH REPORT

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OAKWOOD A (PREM) 1 MACCABI LONDON LIONS A (PREM) 3
The Lions came from a goal behind to book themselves in the semi-finals.

Ex-Arsenal academy player Austin Lipman scored twice, with Josh Kennett also on target.

Dave Woolman had fired the O’s in front, for whom manager Daniel Kristall told jewishnews.co.uk: “In terms of the game itself, having to shuffle the defence and having three-four players who in all honesty, were not match fit (that we had to rush back from the treatment room) in addition to being without key men and losing Woolman and Bentwood to injury in the first half, it meant that it was always going to be an uphill battle. I thought we contained Lions much better in the second half, but lacked that goal threat. We feel that if we had been at full strength, we could have given a much better account of ourselves.

“In terms of our opposition, we welcome playing against the best players – we’d love to do it every week. If those Lions players ever get bored of Saturday’s, Sunday’s aren’t so bad. But all we care about is that whoever they play in the next round, they have as strong a team out. We’ll be seriously disappointed if Josh Kenent, Austin Lipman Charlie Kassler and Max Kyte aren’t available for Raiders’ Redbridge or whoever…For me it is a bit of a shame for that they don’t show a little more faith in their regular Sunday players who as a result don’t get an opportunity to play in the Jewish FA Cup.

“The better side certainly won and we wish Lions good luck for the rest of the competition. I’m quite certain that if they play the same team for their remaining games, they will win the competition. We will now turn our attention back to the League and Anekstein with lots of big games still to play this season.”

VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS

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PREMIER DIVISION:

FIXTURES & RESULTS:
TABLE:

FC TEAM A 1 BLIZZARD STORM 0
Team boosted their chances of avoiding the drop as Ben Hariely’s strike proved to be the difference between the two sides.

Manager Ben Gilbey told jewishnews.co.uk: “It was a tough game and Blizzard put up a really good fight and arguably deserved a point out of the game. We should have put the game to bed on countless occasions, but due to a few good saves from their goalkeeper and us overplaying the ball in the box, we didn’t get that second or third goal.

“I was happy with the win, to guarantee safety and push ourselves up into seventh in the league. Camden Park have also already forfeited our fixture next week due to their extensive injury list, which means we will be rewarded the points for the game. This leaves us with only two games left for the year against Harmen and Hendon, and we intend to get maximum points to improve our league position for the end of the year.

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HENDON UNITED A 2 REDBRIDGE JEWISH CARE A 3
Redbridge moved to within four points of top spot as they came from two goals down to win this five-goal thriller.

Adam Hakimi, Daniel Garfinkle and Dean Nyman were all on target for Jon Jacobs’ side.

Rafi Kon and Yoav Kestenbaum scored for Hendon, for whom manager David Garbacz told jewishnews.co.uk: “We were extremely disappointed to lose this match after fighting so hard for so long. We raced into a two-goal lead inside five minutes and it should have been three or four as first Zac Lewis was denied by the post after a mesmerising run and then Ari Last was denied a clear penalty for handball with the referee claiming he was unsighted.

“However, after that blistering first 25 minute spell we started to defend deep and possibly take our foot off the pedal as Redbridge pushed us back and slowly but surely they got back into the game. They scored a crucial goal right before half-time and then to be honest they dominated for large periods in the second half as we struggled to get any sort of possession. They have such quality up front – for me Garfinkle is the player of the year and he has caused us endless problems every time we play them. We have to deal with him much better next week or we will out the Morrison as well.  He scored a great equaliser and despite some incredible Russ Corin saves in the last 20 minutes eventually their pressure told with a winner in the 88^th minute.

“I could not fault my players for effort or commitment – we really wanted to come out of this game with at least a point but perhaps their extra incentive in needing the points was psychologically a crucial factor. Once again though this was a real classic match between two excellent football teams who are both a huge credit to our under fire league. Although we lost today and at times were under the cosh, we still go into next week’s final chapter of these thrillers vs Redbridge confident that we can turn this result around and come out on top. Let me assure you – we will not go out wondering that’s for sure.”

MATCH REPORT

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DIVISION ONE:

FIXTURES & RESULTS
TABLE

BRIXTON OLD BOYS 0 NORTH LONDON RAIDERS B 2
Raiders moved up a couple of places into seventh spot thanks to this win, which came courtesy of goals from Simon Buchler and Josh Goldstein.

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FAITHFOLD B 0 REDBRIDGE B 2
Faithfold look destined to be playing Division Two football next season as Redbridge came away with points thanks to goals from David Fialka and Ben Chernoff.

Redbridge manager Sam Rank told jewishnews.co.uk: “This performance was very professional and organised and just shows how far the boys have come since December. A real pleasure to manage.”

Greens manager Rob Shooman told jewishnews.co.uk: “It was a very good, hard fought game. They scored after three minutes from a corner from terrible marking from us, we hadn’t woken up yet and they scored their second five minutes from the end.

“Either way they deserved the win, they were more up for it from the first whistle, and just a mention about the referee who I thought had an excellent game. We came into the game after about 15-20 minutes and the game became quite even, chances either end evenly fought.

“As always when you chase a game from the first five minutes and it’s a pretty even contest, the losing side tends to push on a little more as the game goes on and you are liable to get caught, we were and credit to them they never stopped getting forward.

“Well done to them, well done to my boys, their heads never dropped and all the guys can give themselves a big pat on the back for making it such an entertaining game.”

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FC TEAM B 2 LOS BLANCOS 1
Team’s promotion hopes continue to gather momentum thanks to goals from Adam Rones and Richard Salmon.

Player-manager Mitch Young told jewishnews.co.uk: “We showed great character in this performance. Blancos were well organised and battled hard, but in the end our extra bit of quality shine through. It is a testament to the squad that we were missing three key defenders yet still I was able to bring on our substitutes who when came on aired things up. We have a great squad with a great team spirit and it was that which saw us over the line. Now we have some massive games coming up where we will do our best to mount a serious bid for the title.”

Jono Gaon scored for the Blancos boys.

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REAL SOSOBAD 2 SPEC FC 4
Four goals from Zack Neiman saw SPEC to the win, which sees them five points clear in second spot.

Player-manager Ricky Lawrence told jewishnews.co.uk: “It was another good performance from us though we were far too wasteful in front of goal in the second half. At 3-2 we were a little nervous, but the fourth goal enabled us to relax a little and ease to the three points.”

Fabio Rivieccio and Richard Rosenthal scored for the hosts.

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WOODFORD WANDERERS 4 BRADY MACCABI 1
Woodford moved a step closer to the Division One title as they put another dent in Brady’s aspirations with this convincing win.

Alex Aviram, James Ryan, Harrison Midda and Tom Alexander all scored, with joint-manager Daryl Kay telling jewishnews.co.uk: “Brady went down to nine men but it was already 3-1 to us before they even went down to 10. And we came back from 1-0 down!

“We took about 15 minutes to get into the game but after that it was all us. Our attitude was 100 percent the whole game and we bettered them all over the pitch.

“Think the whole team needs to be nominated for TOTW, that has to be the result of the day/season for sure!”

Matt Frohlich has fired Brady in front.

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DIVISION TWO:

FIXTURES & TABLES
TABLE

BOCA JEWNIORS 2 L’EQUIPE 7
L’Equipe are up into sixth spot following this emphatic win.

Mark Smith scored twice, with Grant Bates, Andy Smith, Josh Lewis, Jon Kay and James Bell also on target.

Simon Englander and an own goal replied for Boca, with Anton Nyman telling jewishnews.co.uk: “It was always going to be a tough game with the injuries we had in the squad – so going into half-time after a great first half, 2-1 up was showing some real spirit.

“Having a number of players returning after three-month absences showed in the second half, L’Equipe came at us with wave after wave of attacks, we held resilient until the 65th minute where they got their deserved equaliser before self capitulating into conceding five further goals in the last 20 minutes.

“The scoreline definitely wasn’t a real reflection of the closeness of the game, but hopefully we’ll get a few players to go again with next week!”

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MACCABI LONDON LIONS B P FAITHFOLD C P

MATCH POSTPONED – FAITHFOLD UNABLE TO RAISE SIDE

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REAL HENDON 2 ATHLETIC BILBAUM 5
Real Hendon’s promotion hopes took another hit as consolidated their top-six place with this impressive win.

Ben Bell scored twice, with Josh Pugh, Seb Silverman and Rob Rodney also all on target. Manager Nick Shinder told jewishnews.co.uk: “A great reaction from the team after the blip at Lions. We controlled the game and look forward to continuing our strong 2016”.

Player-manager Chaim Gothold and RA Noe scored for Hendon, with Gothold telling jewishnews.co.uk: “We were really poor.”

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SCRABBLE 1 CATFORD & BROMLEY 3
Scrabble’s seemingly inevitable march to the title took another slight knock as mid-table Catford stunned them as they turned in the performance of the day.

Jamie Sinai fired them ahead, before captain Richard Adams doubled their lead. Scrabble halved the deficit, but the visitors put the game beyond doubt, scoring on a counter-attack through Ben David, before having a fourth strike also ruled out.

Player-manager Jeff Gotch told jewishnews.co.uk: “So we’ve beaten Lions 4-1 and now Scrabble 3-1 and we’re 10th in the table – it just shows what we can do when everyone is on their game.

“It was a brilliant performance from all 13 lads, but big mentions to our keep Adsi who made one incredible save down to his left to somehow turn a goal bound header from his own man round the post.”

Tom Prevezer scored for Scrabble, for whom manager Ray Abrahams told jewishnews.co.uk: “We just couldn’t get our game going today and were too hurried with everything we were trying to do.

“We created a lot of chances and on another day and with the ball running for us, we may have been three or four up in the first half. But when you go a goal down like we did today against the run of play we were always chasing the game and it just wasn’t meant to be for us in this game.But we will learn from it and come back stronger.

“Considering that we had five key players out today in Espinoza, Waters, Green, Bentley and Peters, the lads that played gave it their best shot but full credit to Jeff Gotch and the Catford boys who have now beaten us and Lions and drawn with Lions – I can’t understand why they have struggled to make an impact on the League themselves this season.

“The title is still there for us to win and it’s in our own hands.You can be sure that we will react positively to this result when we next play and I’m so proud of the way everyone has given us all a season to remember whatever the outcome in the final few games.”

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TEMPLE FORTUNE P FC TEAM C P

MATCH POSTPONED – TEMPLE FORTUNE UNABLE TO RAISE SIDE

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