AFA TROPHY
MLFC 4 OLD CHIGWELLIANS 2
The hosts dominated the early proceedings, probing away at an Old Chigs side who seemed content to sit in without the ball and then counter at speed.
Chances came but none were taken, Paul Allen with the best of these, heading wide from Paul Lenchner's cross with the goal at his mercy. And they were punished when Chigs scored twice in five minutes half way through the half, firstly through a penalty awarded when Alex Levack was adjudged to have handled in the box, then pressuring Guy Morris into a rushed clearance that was seized upon, crossed in and headed powerfully home.
MLFC, though, still controlled the game, but were not penetrating as they'd have hoped. But just past the half hour Mark Wagman was fouled a good 25 yards from goal. Up stepped Lazarus and sent a bullet of a strike that arrowed past the despairing keeper's dive into the top corner.
Good play down the right was a feature of the first half, Matty Kleinman and Jon Rayner linking to create several chances, and when the two combined a few minutes later, Rayner was blocked from getting onto the return pass, the referee having no hesitation in pointing to the spot. Having belted one in from double the distance, 12 yards was never going to prove a problem, Lazarus ensuring parity at the break.
The second period was pretty similar, so despite dominating possession MLFC were far from their fluent best in and around goal. But they should have led when Wagman took the ball well just a few yards out, but air-shotted his finish and the danger was cleared.
With the game entering the final quarter hour the home side won another free-kick, this time a good 30 yards from goal. And everyone just knew. With a bit of wind behind Lazarus was never going to do anything else, ripping a right footed effort over the wall that seemed to gather pace as it flew high into the net past the keeper.
Old Chigs did all they could to get on the front foot, but Bradley Lee in the home goal wasn't forced into a single save, and on the counter Maccabi always looked a threat. Kleinman took too long and saw his shot from Wagman's cross blocked, but the decisive fourth was soon added,
Wagman's work in the channel saw him pull back to Lenchner whose flick fell invitingly into the path of Allen who lashed home into the bottom corner with his left foot.
The last few minutes passed with no alarms and Maccabi go into the last 16.
MLFC: Brad Lee, Jon Rayner, Dan Piler, Alex Norman, Guy Morris, Matt Kleinman, Craig Pearl, Alex Levack, Paul Allen, Brad Lazarus, Paul Lenchner. Subs: Pete Lazard, Mark Wagman
* MLFC romped to an 11-0 win over Walthamstow in the Garston Vets League. Goals from Steve Summers, Lee Cash (3), Saul Conway (4), Max Radford and Daniel Stanton (2) earned the table-toppers their eighth consecutive victory.
MLFC: Rob Abrahams, Jon Rayner, Adam Harvey, Rob Glass, Danny Berg, James Abrams, Alex Levack, Daniel Stanton, Saul Conway, Lee Cash, Steve Summers. Subs: Adam Klein, Max Radford, Danny Daggers
