NATHAN HORWITZ MACCABI MASTERS FOOTBALL LEAGUE DIVISION TWO CUP
TEMPLE FORTUNE 6 GLENTHORNE C 1
A stunning four-goal salvo from Robert Botkai eased Temple Fortune into the next round of the cup after they hit Glenthorne C for six in Edgware.
Played under welcomed sunshine at The Hive, Fortune began passing the ball well from the outset and scored the opening goal after just three minutes. James Ryan was set free down the left wing and his accurate pass was converted at short range by Botkai.
Minutes later, Ryan made another chance for Botkai who snapped up his second and he should have added two more but missed a close-in tap and then a header.
Ryan neatly netted the third on 31 minutes before having a goal disallowed for a harsh offside.
Glenthorne created very little and conceded a fourth just before half-time when Botkai completed his hat-trick by tucking in after being fed by Ryan again.
Graham Meyer played in a defensive midfield postion and aided by some good defending by others around him, swept up everything coming his way.
Botkai scored his fourth goal to make the score 5-0 early on in the second half, well before Serge Weinberger made his first save of the match on 65 minutes, tipping a hard effort over the bar.
Former Fortune defender Howard Wallace scored a consolation from close-range following a corner but Ryan struck a sixth goal, his second of the match, from a breakaway towards the end.
Nigel Grunberg, another ex-Fortune Old Boy, was booked after shoving over Phil Bloomberg as tempers began to fray a little. Fortune battled well to keep Glenthorne's captain, Adam Lennard – arguably the most talented player there – very quiet throughout to complete a comfortable 6-1 victory and progression into another quarter-final appearance in the Division 2 Cup.
Fortune manager David Goldberg said: "This was another great team performance. I cannot remember when we last won two in a row.
"We played some great football and james and Robert linked up very well upfront in particular. The defence were terrific as a unit this week and all in all we thoroughly deserved this victory."
