Athletico add to Boca woes

This match always looked to be a feisty affair with Boca Jewniors, desperate to get their first win of the campaign, coming up against Athletico Finchley's young guns.

For the first 15 minutes of the match, things were pretty even with neither team really taking control. Fans weren't sure whether Boca had finally improved or Athletico were just having a bad game.

However, after a relatively dull start, Athletico finally managed to take the advantage when Andrew Greenwall Cohen launched a Rory Delap throw-in into the Boca box. Sam Collins was first up to flick the ball onwards to centre midfielder Joel Barnett to knock it into the net. 1-0 Finchley.

After the first goal went in, Boca started to wobble and could not manage to retain possession. Athletico applied all the pressure and came close a few times with Daniel Mattey working his magic from the right of midfield and Greenwall Cohen from the centre of the park. The Boca keeper pulled off a magnificent save to deny Barnett as he leapt across the face of the goal to tip Barnett's low and hard shot wide.

Boca did manage to get one chance in the half after the ball was flown into the Athletico box to fall to the feet of Farrel Monk, six yards from goal. All he had to do was knock it in the corner but his shot was denied by Athletico keeper Doug Carson as he rushed out to block the shot from close range. This was Carson's only action of the entire match. It was lucky he had his flask of tea to drink and a copy of the JC to read to keep him occupied.

Athletico finally doubled their advantage as spectators saw what was with out a doubt the move of the season. Daniel Mattey took the ball from just outside the Athletico box, turning like a little eel. He knocked it forward down the right wing, sprinting away from trouble. He was then approached by a Boca player and simply knocked it past him, leaving him for dead. As Mattey approached the box, another Boca defender lunged in to try and stop the man, but Mattey simply chipped the ball over the defender's body, leaving him for dead. He then put a sublime cross into the box, straight to the feet of Ben Mandell who's touch took him away from goal. With a defender behind him, Mandell then performed a Cruyff turn, past the defender before findingBarnett on the edge of the box, who calmly slotted in his second of the game. Cue Athletico ecstasy.

The half time whistle then went and Athletico stepped in to half time two goals to the good.

The second half provided more misery for Boca as Athletico controlled the rest of the game. The Mighty Finch came close on numerous occasions but kept failing to find the net.

The Boca keeper pulled off another magnificent save as Mandell stepped in side from the left, past a defender, and found Mattey on the edge of the box. Finchley fans were celebrating as Mattey's rocket of a shot aimed for the back of the net. However, the keeper somehow, (no one is quite sure how) leapt like a salmon into the air and with his finger tips, tipped the ball over the bar.

Soon after this, Mandell was put through on goal and faced the Boca keeper one-on-one. All he had to do was slot it into the gaping goal, but instead attempted to chip it over the on coming keeper. Every FIFA player knows that chips never go in. Taxi for Mandell.

Athletico continued to create chance after chance with Greenwall Cohen, Barnett and Aron Keller all coming close. Richard Hayim even managed to take the ball around the Boca keeper in a crowded penalty area, before having his shot cleared off the line.

Finchley finally managed to get their third as another Greenwall Cohen throw in was put into the box and flicked on the find Mandell lurking at the back post. He nodded it in for his ninth goal in five games.

Athletico chairman Zach Margolin told JC Sport: "Today it was great to get a victory under or belts. It has been a tough few weeks for us but the moral is back on a high in the Finchley camp and hopefully we can carry this momentum into the Barry Goldstein Cup.

"That being said, our finishing was poor today and we should have 8-0. Time for some shooting practice in training!"

DC Prediction: Athletico Finchley 4 Boca Jewniors 1