A week is a long time in football. Seven days ago people were ranting about teams withdrawing from matches because of a shortage of players, so hats off to Temple Fortune for biting the bullet and playing a game with 10 men.

Without a recognisable goalkeeper for their match against an in-form Catford & Bromley Maccabi, Jonathan Cohen's troops were also further hamstrung by two weddings and a last-minute no-show. But pulling out never crossed his mind. In fact, it spurred his team on and it was Catford who were hanging on in the end.

Cohen said: "To a man we were superb and had a strict game-plan which we stuck to throughout and frustrated our opponents.

"No doubt about it, Catford were the dominant team in the first half and had the majority of the play, as you would expect. We looked to play a tight game, with no pressing of the ball until they reached our half.

"The second half was a different story however. In the end Catford tried to run the ball into the corner and they will admit they played a very good and resilient side on the day. I was very pleased with the effort and commitment shown by all.

● The Oakwood management have spoken of their delight after the multi-talented Alex Lee joined the club.

B-team boss Jason Stein believes "Chanukah has come early" for the Oaks as Alex, 23, "brings a formidable presence to the club". He arrives boasting a trophy-laden career that includes a Peter Morrison medal as a member of the Manchester Maccabi side that lifted the cup in 2011.

Described as a commanding central defender/central midfielder, Lee arrives as a free agent following a stint as the first team captain at the London School of Economics last season.

The signing underlines the reputation Oakwood has as a centre for northern excellence in London.

Commenting on the deal, Jason Stein said: "Alex's wage will remain a secret but reports of a half dozen salmon cutlets and a couple of
bagels isn't miles off the mark.

"Alex has pushed on to become a truly excellent talent and I have no hesitation in saying he is one of the top players of his generation and will make an immediate impact.

"We rely on attracting the finest northern talent to the club and this shows how serious Oakwood are about challenging for honours this season."

Joint A-team manager Dan Kristall said he "welcomed Alex to Oakwood with open arms".

Co-boss Ric Blank told me: "He's a player who can do everything. He's good with his feet, strong in the air and has an eye for a goal too."