Cohen blesses Vale with a five-star performance

Hertswood Vale pulled off the shock result of the day as they stunned Redbridge C with a 5-1 win.

MGBSFL Division Two:
Hertswood Vale 5 Redbridge Jewish Care C 1
Sunday, 19 February, 2017

Following on from last week’s 4-1 victory, Vale went into the game with of a total of eight changes in the squad – although you wouldn’t have known from the performance!

They took the lead inside five minutes, Josh Cohen grabbing his first of the afternoon after a goal kick from stand-in goalkeeper Johnny Schogger found its way to him on the edge of the area, which he finished first time into the corner. The lead was doubled after 13 minutes when a poor free-kick was gobbled up by Ben Davis who smashed in an absolute screamer from 25 yards – Redbridge’s goalkeeper had absolutely no chance. A third goal was bundled in by centre-back Danny Feuer from a Ben Mandel corner to give Hertswood what looked to be an unassailable lead.

However, as the game approached the end of the first half, Redbridge were given a boost. A sending-off after two poor yellow cards in quick succession should’ve given the away side the advantage, but you wouldn’t have known it on the balance of play. Although Redbridge bundled the ball in a minute later, a missed penalty from the Vale on the stroke of half-time meant that the underdogs went into half-time 3-1 up.

A regroup and chat at the break gave the impetus for an extremely solid second-half performance. Despite being down to 10 men for the entire 45, an exceptionally disciplined defensive display left Johnny Schogger with a fairly boring second half in the Vale goal.

They weren’t though done yet. Mid-way through the second half, Josh Cohen grabbed a goal-of-the season contender, Vale’s fourth and his second of the afternoon. A counter-attack found Josh Gorb on the left, he looked up, played a lofted cross-field box which found Josh Cohen on the right side of the area which he hit first time across the keeper and into the corner, right on the postage stamp. Reminiscent of Kasami vs. Crystal Palace.

As the game drew to a close, Josh Cohen grabbed his 10th goal of the season and his first hat-trick for the Vale with a well-taken finish after finding himself one-on-one with the goalkeeper.

Joint-manager Jacob Emanuel said: “5-1, another scalp and a second successive win. Job’s a good’un.”