CYRIL ANEKSTEIN CUP ROUND FOUR
HENDON UNITED SPORTS CLUB A 6 FC TEAM A 3

David Garbacz believes that "superior fitness" levels helped holders Hendon move to within 90 minutes of another Wingate & Finchley final after they hit Premier Division rivals FC Team A for six in the Cyril Anekstein Cup.

Avi Korman and Avidan Last fired braces, and there were also goals from a "half-fit" Ben Lauffer and a fully-fit Avishai Kestenbaum.

Team played their part in an action-packed contest, with David Joseph Cohen (2) and Shim Bensoor on target for the visitors.

A jubilant Garbacz told JC Sport; "This was not our best performance of the season by a long shot but we still had the necessary qualities to get through.

"At times we were uncharacteristically sloppy at the back and gave away the ball too easily further forward. FC Team battled hard for large parts of this match as we knew they would but, as with the first time we played them, we were confident that our superior fitness would tell later on in the game.

"We had a number of players missing today and the depth of the squad was well and truly tested - Ben Lauffer would not have played today in normal circumstances yet he still managed to run the show with some superb pinpoint passing throughout the game and created numerous chances for our forwards.

"It was good to score six, but we were disappointed to concede three which was unlike us.

"One final word - we scored a goal today when the ball hit the wire in open play across the 3G pitch and fell kindly to Avishai Kestenbaum who scored - it was bad luck on FC Team but those were the rules and we had to carry on in a professional way - just one of those things and they took it very well on the chin so well done to them for that.

"Next stop semis - one more hurdle before yet another Wingate appearance - our grip on this cup is still as strong as ever."

Team head coach Ben Gilbey told JC Sport: "We lost to a very good team who no doubt will go far in the competition and I tip to win the league.

"However, with two extremely dodgy decisions within 10 minutes of the second half kicking off we found our hard work to get into half-time at 2-2 thrown out the window. That's football!"