Redbridge set up ‘revenge match’ against Lions

Two goals apiece from Russell Goldstein and Ben Sollosi helped Redbridge ease themselves into the Cyril Anekstein Cup semi-final at a sunny Willesden.

Cyril Anekstein Cup Semi-Final:
Finchley City 0 Redbridge Jewish Care A 5
Sunday, 26 March, 2017

The game was even for the first 15 minutes with a highly motivated Finchley competing for every ball, though they seemed to be losing boys to injury or going down with cramp at a very early stage .

Redbridge’s first of the morning arrived when Daniel Garfinkle stole a yard on his marker and from a perfectly delivered cross from Goldstein, he flicked in the goal.

The lead was doubled came from the wide left, this time it was Russell Goldstein with a right-footed finish that deceived the Finchley goalkeeper as it went underneath him.

Half-time came with half chances going begging for Redbridge, Ben Sollosi, Goldstein and Steve Summers all having chances to add to the scoreline, but 2-0 it was at the break and still all to play for.

With the reminder that a place against Lions was at stake, Redbridge carried on where they left off after the break, but the game continued to be broken up by constant stopping in the play with injuries and cramp befalling the Finchley players.

A tactical change saw Ben Sollosi move further forward and with that came the decisive third goal – with a tremendous finish low into the right of the net. The same player then finished with another excellent finish a few minutes later to kill the tie completely.

Redbridge should have had a fifth goal, but saw it incorrectly ruled out for a foul when in fact the two Finchley players had collided with each other, but it did arrive when the outstanding Goldstein finished for a smart finish and his second of the match.

Manager Jon Jacobs said: “Redbridge badly want to avenge the 2013 Anekstein Final when we lost to Lions. We look forward to meeting London Lions A in the final, I have a detailed dossier on their 200 players that they have available, but it’s currently bigger than Encyclopedia Britannica, so I’m unable to use it fully.

“We look forward to seeing Josh Kennet, Austin Lipman and all their Saturday boys for the Maccabi League Cup final which they have richly contributed to.”