BARRY GOLDSTEIN TROPHY QUARTER-FINAL
OAKWOOD B 2 NL RAIDERS B 4
Jonathan Adelman believes there is room for improvement after Raiders stormed into the last four with strikes from Josh Green, Simon Buchler, Nick Woolf and Jacob Gold steering them past Oakwood B.
The wild and windy conditions made for some challenging conditions for defenders and the opening few minutes saw some slapstick defending at both ends.
The game was ultimately settled within the first eight minutes as Raiders swept in to a two-goal lead. First, Nicky Woolf side stepped a challenge and picked out the run of Green, the diminutive striker racing clear to clip the ball over the onrushing keeper before celebrating with a back-flip.
The lead was doubled shortly after as Buchler ghosted in at the far post to nod home an Adam Posner free-kick.
Rather than sit back, Raiders clicked through the gears to press home their advantage. The third goal when it came was a thing of raw power and beauty. Woolf, who has missed much of the season with a back injury, picked up the ball 35 yards out, outmuscled his marker and hammered a curling effort in to the top corner.
Moments later the game was effectively over as Gold applied the calm and precise finish to a flowing move involving Poser, Buchler and David Esterkin.
With a 4-0 half time lead, Raiders knew that Oakwood would come strong in the second half. the pressure was largely absorbed and Raiders had plenty of chances to increase the lead on the break only to be denied by multiple (correct!) offside decisions and the excellent form of Oren Hury in the Oakwood goal.
Oakwood pulled a goal back with 20 minutes to go and they then grabbed a second inside the final 10 minutes, with Jacob Richler-Kleiman converting on both occasions. But there was no panic from the men in Orange as they saw out the victory that sees them 90 minutes from a return to Wingate.
NLR boss Jonathan Adelman told JC Sport: "Considering we've had one game in eight weeks, I was really pleased with the way we started the game. The hunger and intensity that has been missing since the turn of the year was back and we looked like our old selves.
"We scored some lovely goals but the boys also know we missed too many opportunities in the second half and we'll need to be more clinical if we can to add another trophy to the Raiders cabinet.
"All credit to Jason and his team, you can see why they've been on such a good run. Plenty of teams would just have wilted at 4-0 down, but you know with Oakwood that they will keep going strong for 90 minutes and it was good for us to have that physical battle - it will no doubt have helped us get back in the groove and the boys can't wait for the semi-final.
"With our A's already in the Anekstein final, we want to make it a second season running where both sides run out at Wingate on the same day."
Oakwood manager Jason Stein told JC Sport: "I'm very sore right now and the loss is still sinking in.
"We're disappointed, but not demoralised. We're big enough to admit we came up against a better side today in Raiders B. They're going up to the Prem division for a reason and congratulations to Johnny and his team.
"Unfortunately the story of our season has been going behind early and to be 2-0 down after just a few minutes isn't good enough. Although we grew into the game, we left ourselves too much to do. Our second-half performance was more like it and we had chances to get a third, but the reality is the better side won.
"We'll learn from this for next season. Raiders B have shown us the required standard and next year we'll aim to match that.
"At the end of the game we stayed around and reflected on were things went wrong today and the mood was a good one. And so it should be. Our improvement over the course of the season is huge. We're proud of what we have achieved the second half of this season.
"We'll enjoy our last game and vow to put right the mistakes and be back stronger than ever next year."
