PETER MORRISON TROPHY ROUND TWO
MACCABIAH MASTERS SENIORS 2 BRADY MACCABI B 3

A last-minute winner from Josh Newman saw Brady find their way into the hat for the next round despite being played off the park for 70 minutes by the Maccabiah Masters for whom only a catalogue of incredible misses proved so costly.

Brady led after barely 30 seconds, but from there were penned back for almost the entire half as the Masters kept the ball superbly and won it back almost at will on the odd occasion they gave it way.

Hadley Silver's low cross was expertly turned in at the near post by Paul Lenchner to level things, but both before and after he missed gilt-edge chances to put the game out of sight.

Silver saw a free-kick hit the underside of the bar, Guy Morris headed over from close range, Matty Kleinman slashed a rebound over from six yards, Brad Lazarus whistled one off the far post before he spurned another great chance, screwing wide when in the clear and only the keeper to beat. And when away moments later he was tugged back by Henry Ziff, the referee awarded the free-kick, but took no further action.

This pattern continued as Brady sought to disrupt the Masters with a series of fouls, but the hosts deservedly led when Paul Buxton rounded off a multi-pass move with a deft finish.

Headers from Lenchner and Kleinman were then saved, Lazarus failed to turn in a fumble from a tight angle while Lenchner and Silver both shot over. At the other end, Jacobs was just a spectator. However, with just a goal in it nothing was done.

Perhaps though thinking they actually had the six-goal cushion they should have had Lions continued to press, possibly taking unnecessary risks. Jacobs was finally forced into a save, blocking one on one, but the Masters failed to heed the warning. Morris, outstanding all game, failed to cut out a long ball, but credit Brady's front man who turned neatly, scampered away from Rayner and this time beat Jacobs.

Buoyed by the goal, and with The Masters tiring, Brady came on strong. They failed to take advantage of a penalty, but with the game into stoppage time Newman atoned for his miss by finishing low into the corner as the Masters gave away the ball in an awful position and got caught horribly on the break.

The Masters bow out of the competition mystified as to how they could collectively toss away a game they so dominated. However, for the second year running, the constant moaning and whining plus some awful scenes when the winner went in only served to remind the guys how lucky they are to be playing in the league they are.