London Lions manager Tony Gold has challenged his troops to match last season’s runners-up finish in the Herts Senior County League Premier Division ahead of tomorrow’s opening fixture at home to Sandridge Rovers.

The Rowley Lane club achieved its best-ever finish but missed out on promotion through a technicality.

A top-two finish in the division puts clubs into a position to go up. But there are strict league regulations about grounds that include floodlights and a 100-seater stadium.

Dudu Awat believes that Israel must treat their four remaining World Cup qualifiers like cup finals to stand a chance of qualifying for next year’s competition in South Africa.

The keeper, in Belfast this week for Israel’s lacklustre 1-1 draw against Northern Ireland, admitted that there is no room for error if the team is to keep their hopes alive — while still depending on other results going their way.

“We have four games left and if we win them all we have a chance”, said Awat, 31. “We can do it. As long as we have a chance, we’ll keep fighting.”

A first-half strike from Elyaniv Barda earned Israel a draw following an encouraging performance in an international friendly against Northern Ireland at Windsor Park.

Ahead of next month's World Cup qualifying double-header against Latvia and Luxembourg, Israel boss Dror Kashtan saw his squad performing for the first time in four months.

Going into the match, Israel had not beaten their opponents in six previous meetings.

Defending champions MAL picked up maximum points after claiming an easy win over Chigwell.

With bonus points almost as crucial as a win in this Maccabi Sunday League clash, Chigwell won the toss and elected to bat.

Given the amount of rain during the week it was no surprise that the outfield felt heavy, but the pitch was dry and hard.

Yoav Lebens and Tony Wise bowled well with the new ball, picking up two wickets each within the first nine overs, to leave Chigwell 28-4 and struggling.

Maccabi Haifa will play Austrians Salzburg for a place in the group phase in this season’s Champions League.

Having beaten FC Aktobe 4-3 on Wednesday, the Israeli champions will battle it out for bumper pay day as they look to make the group stages for the first time since 2002.

The ties will be played on August 18/19 with the second leg August 25/26.

In the Europa League, Hapoel Tel Aviv will play FK Teplice in the playoff round. Bnei Yehuda Tel Aviv have it all to do against PSV Eindhoven.

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE KNOCK OUT ROUND DRAW IN FULL

Champions route

Having won an early gold in the boys team table tennis competition, Team GB have continued to take silverware in San Francisco.

A team featuring Daniel Cohen, Joshua Dobias and Yoni Smith won the boy’s table tennis event Team GB has

There was success in the track and field with Zac Skry winning a gold in the Mixed Relay followed by silver in the Long Jump.

Simon Zeffertt won a silver medal for the Mixed Relay.

Hapoel Tel Aviv and Bnei Yehuda reached the playoff stage of the Europa Cup after coming through respective third qualifying round ties on Thursday.

Leading 3-1 from the away leg against IFK Gothenberg, Hapoel drew 1-1 at the Bloomfield Stadium.

Israeli international Michael Zandberg put Hapoel ahead in the 14th minute. Hannes Stiller hauled the Swedes level on the night but the two-time Uefa Cup winners never threatened to overhaul Hapoel’s aggregate lead.

Team GB footballer Scott Shulton is joining Blue Square Premier Ebbsfleet United.

A star of the recently concluded Maccabiah Games, Shulton, 19, was set to sign a one-year contract yesterday, after being released by Wycombe Wanderers. He was at Wycombe for seven years following a two-year spell at Watford.

Shulton said: “I see it as a step across rather than down as I will have more of a chance to get regular first-team action. I wanted to stay in full-time football and want to keep improving every day.

Maccabi Haifa produced a sensational comeback to book their place in the Champions League playoff round after overturning a three-goal deficit in a 4-3 win over FK Aktobe.

Having drawn 0-0 in Kazakhstan last week, Haifa found themselves 3-0 down inside 15 minutes of the second leg at Kiryat Eliezer.

Former West Ham star Yaniv Katan, the Haifa captain, started the fightback. Eyal Golasa made it 2-3 in the 32nd minute, in a game where Haifa had four players booked.

The new JC MSFL season 2009/10 kicks off on September 6.

The league will feature 54 teams split over five divisions.

Athletic Bilbaum, Blizzard Storm, Highgate & Muswell Hill JYC and Jewventus are new to the league while Dynamo Hendon and East London Knights are among the sides to have folded.

PREMIER DIVISION
Bafana Bafana
Faithfold A
Glenthorne United A
Hendon United A
Hendon United B
London Maccabi Lions A
London Maccabi Lions B
North West Neasden A
Redbridge United A
South Manx A

DIVISION ONE
Brady Maccabi A
Brixton Old Boys
Camden Park