Having beaten Los Camden B, Fairlop FC, Oakwood A and holders Maccabi London Lions, MGBSFL runners-up HMH travelled north intent on ending their first season in senior football with silverware. Indeed the prize of National Cup holders was on the line for both clubs.
HMH started brightly and created some good early chances – one was cleared off the line from Oscar Wagner’s left foot and a Clark Norton volley that fell into the keeper’s lap.
However, in failing to convert those chances, it became clear that Haroldeans had the edge, experience both in age and having played in last year’s final. Their physicality was helping them as HMH became edgy and their flowing football became harder to produce.
Haroldeans came close through Ben Kersh on 17 minutes after HMH failed to clear one of a long ball, but from the resulting goal-kick, HMH swiftly countered and after great work from Ben Winters on the inside left his cross found Ariel Rahamim to open the scoring for HMH.
With the bit between their teeth, HMH almost doubled their lead from a corner three minutes later, as a towering header from Tom Prais was cleared off the line.
However, HMH failed to capitalise and started conceding cheap free-kicks in middle of the pitch, allowing Haroldeans to send up their big men and put the HMH back line under pressure.
HMH held firm but it took a spectacular save on the stroke of half-time from Jacob Shapiro to keep Haroldeans at bay but the Liverpudlians equalised when Sam Kersh nodded home the resulting corner and the teams went into the half-time break level at 1-1.
The second half was a different story as HMH found their rhythm straight from the kick-off, piling the pressure on Haroldeans who struggled to get out of their own half. Captain Alex Moss was in control, pulling the strings, ably assisted by Ethan Krell and Max Bull in midfield and suddenly HMH were dominating play, creating chance after chance.
A spectacular volley from Leo Ackerman was well tipped over the bar, then Wagner directed a header from six yards straight at the keeper, when it should have been easier to score.
Their pressure was finally rewarded on 62 minutes, Dom Feldman was hauled down on the edge of the box and Moss bent the ball beautifully into the far corner to make it 2-1.
HMH continued to press and Krell almost increased the lead from 25 yards but the ball whistled narrowly over the bar.
The frustration was building in Haroldeans and it eventually took its toll with a second yellow for the captain Jack Goldsmith for obstructing Wagner.
Down to 10 men, the spaces opened up even more for HMH and they added two more as Wagner finally and deservedly found the net twice the first from a corner after good play by Feldman and a great delivery by Sammy Kingston, the second another worldie strike from a Feldman pass to seal the 4-1 win.
In the end, HMH proved too good for the Merseysiders who put up a stout defence. The new champions of England and the name on the grand old lady of Jewish football is HMH JYC.
Jubilant HMH boss Avi Goldberg told JC Sport: “This is a very proud day for HMH football club and my lads. What a stunning end to a superb season.
“The preparations started on Primrose Hill in July last year and the final touches were put in place at St George’s Park, where we trained and watched Pep’s team in the same sky blue, destroy Watford.
“The lads deserve their success and particularly for the way they conducted themselves on the pitch and the flowing football they played in the second half.
“It was cruel on Haroldeans in the end, but the scoreline could easily have been a lot more. The half time teamtalk was simple – we did not come all this way not to play our football.
“This is a repeat of what happened to us in Manchester seven years ago, 1-1 at half time in the Harris Balcombe Trophy, final score 4-1. Go out and play our way and the score will be the same.
“As Bill Shankly said, ‘You get nothing for second’. And with that the lads listened, focused and destroyed Haroldeans. What a perfect ending to a great season.
“We want to thank the JC for making it possible for our supporters around the world to watch the match live, particularly our all our hardcore players - George Goldberg, Eli Wegrzyn, Jake Norton and Adam Abadi - who watched with beaming faces from far flung places in Peru, Australia and Tanzania.
“Next season cannot come fast enough for these lads.”
Haroldeans’ Mike Bloomberg said: “It was a bridge too far for us. We went into the game without goalkeeper Jared Clein, who couldn’t play due to his A-levels start on Monday. To add insult to injury Adam Cross, our back-up keeper, is away in Singapore with work commitments, so midfielder Jack Bookey ended up playing in goal.
“We didn’t turn up but even with HMH missing players, it’s clear they have better resources than us. They pressed up very high and used it very well. It’s hard to argue with the result.
“Once we were down to 10 menthes game was over. The only way we had a chance was if we had everyone available and on top of their game.”
Bloomberg finished on a positive note and said: “I’ve told boys the defeat shouldn’t detract from what has been a very good season. We’ve been punching above our weight after reaching to PMT finals in two years with a small squad, and we’ve just completed our first season in non-Jewish football third in the league.
“Now we need to sit down and assess where we want to go as we know a few players are leaving before next season.”
HAROLDEANS: Jack Bookey, Adam Boyars, Sam Kersh, Ben Kersh, Stephen Rubin, Jack Goldsmith, Paul Harris, Max Barnett, Maxim Green, Adam Shiffman, Bobby Fishel. Subs: Eden Harris, Sean Cooper, Jordan Brookes, Daniel Lloyd-Ellenberg
SCORER: S. Kersh
HMH: Jacob Shapiro, Josh Goldstein, Sammy Kingston, Avi Goldberg, Alex Moss (capt), Thomas Prais, Ben Winters, Ethan Krell, Oscar Wagner, Ariel Rahamim, Clark Norton. Subs: Dom Feldman, Leo Ackerman, Max Bull
SCORERS: Rahamim, Moss, Wagner 2
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