Lions show some bite with win over Camden

Lions moved up to joint-fourth in the table as they piled on the misery for a fast-struggling Camden side.

MGBSFL Premier Division:
Maccabi London Lions A 4 Camden Park 1
Sunday, 20 November, 2016

After last week’s cup win, Lions set up with an identical 4-2-3-1 formation, with David Kosky returning in goal after an 18 month sabbatical and Cameron Most making his first appearance of the season at right back. This saw Max Hassell move into a centre half role alongside Alex Taylor.

Both sides took a while to get into the game, with Lions knocking the ball around nicely in midfield but lacking any real threat in the final third. They were constantly trying to find their talisman Adam Arnold, but Camden sensed the danger and held a tight, compact shape. Then, after a Lions corner was cleared, Camden hit them quickly on the counter attack, outnumbering the Lions players chasing them back. A quick switch set Jake Saunders clear, and bearing down on a one-on-one against Kosky, cooly stroked the ball into the far corner. This was a big wake up call and summed up a lethargic first half display from Lions.

Half-time saw a few changes, with Sam Lewis and James Gold replacing Sam Arghebant and Alex Rose; Gold’s first game after a three-month injury layoff. But it was Camden who came closest early into the half, with their striker finding himself with only Kosky to beat, before Taylor made a strong, inch-perfect recovery tackle from behind in his own penalty box. Camden, will have been kicking themselves and really couldn’t have asked for a clearer opportunity to go two goals ahead.

If Lions were to get anything from this game they needed to act fast with Camden gaining more belief as the half went on. A well delivered Aviel Schwarz corner saw Lions big Scotsman, Jamie Jackson bravely rise above two Camden defenders to send a bullet header into the back of the net, game on.

The stage was now set for Jackson to take the game by the scruff of its neck and within five minutes of his equaliser he sure did. Winning the ball off the Camden midfield with a crunching challenge on the halfway line, he marauded his way through the middle of the park before unleashing a 30-yard power driver low and hard which nestled sweetly into the bottom corner. If his fellow Scotsman Andy Gray was commentating he would say something like, “Ohhhh ya beauty, What a hit son, what a hit.”

Confidence was now sky high amongst the Lions players, and it was left to skipper James Gershfield to put the game to bed. A route one drop kick from Kosky landed over the Camden centre-half’s head, with the onrushing Gershfield calmly chipping the ball over the goalkeeper for 3-1. A difficult finish made to look easy by the striker.

As the game drew to a close Camden threw themselves at Lions, with James Gold putting in a tireless defensive display at the end as he constantly got back from midfield to help Will Beresford down the left as Camden continued to push everyone forward. Gold’s hard work was soon rewarded, as he finished off a tidy move that saw a strong Lions second half come to a close.