PETER MORRISON TROPHY SEMI-FINAL
HMH 4 MACCABI LONDON LIONS 0
A glorious day at the Hive in Edgware was greeted by some champagne football from an HMH team going for the double.
Lions had arrived with 'Saturday men' in their squad of 14, but that only served to raise the ante and HMH responded in their typical fashion by showing them a clean pair of heels.
"This was no ordinary performance," according to HMH boss Goldberg. It was a consummate victory from a team playing some of its best football of the season, dominating possession, creating chances and not letting Lions settle on the ball.
HMH were 2-0 up within 30 minutes, with the returning Teddie Levenfiche firing home both goals from well-worked moves - the second one a contender for goal of the season - as Alex Moss and Sam Monjack pulled the strings.
The hosts then had a further three great chances to extend their lead with Lions clearing one off the line and HMH spurning the other two.
Lions did mount a few attacks but HMH defence led by Thomas Prais, Sammy Kingston and Josh Goldstein were in imperious form as HMH maintained their two-goal advantage at the break.
It was more of the same in the second half more as HMH continued to probe and press, with Sam Monjack, in particular, tormenting Lions defence. Indeed Monjack scored the third and served up the fourth on a plate for Adam Abadi for him to add yet another goal to his incredible season.
Lions did improve in the second half but they found the HMH defence refusing to be breached and even when breached on a couple of occasions, Jake Doffman was there with some fine saves to make sure of a clean sheet.
So HMH are the first team into this season's National cup final. They await the winner of Haroldeans or Maccabi Manchester 1st, who will replay, or Mill Hill Dons.
HMH boss Avi Goldberg told JC Sport: “I am extremely proud of the whole squad today. They turned up focused, listened intently to the tactics and then executed to perfection.
"With the midfield trio of Moss, Levenfiche and particularly Monjack in dominant form, we were far superior from the off today. The arrival of the Lions Saturday brigade only made the will greater and the victory sweeter.
"We are all very proud to be going to the Jewish FA Cup final in our first season in men’s football and to have dispensed with some top teams en route. To win trophies you have to beat the best and today HMH did precisely that.”
Lions joint-player-manager Max Kyte was magnanimous in defeat. He told JC Sport: "Once again, a well-deserved win for HMH. Both sides started poorly but HMH grew into the game and started to play nice football as well as battle for every header and tackle.
"We wish them the best of luck in the final and I would be surprised if they don’t go the distance. They are a good group of boys with a mixture of desire to win and play football, and that will always take you far."
However, Kyte went on to say: "Whilst by no means a reason for a 4-0 loss, this sin-bin rule is absolutely ridiculous and gives referees who like to be the star of the show even more power, and now power to ruin a game. Apparently clearing your nostrils whilst being spoken to is now a sin-bin offence, and I’m sure the referee will need to unbox a new whistle as he probably burnt his one out.”
