MGBSFL DIVISION TWO
SCRABBLE FC 3 L'EQUIPE 0
Ray Abrahams saluted goalkeeper Ben Law who was at his best as Scrabble FC took another step towards the title with a 3-0 success over L'Equipe at Capital City.
Law pulled off some fine saves at crucial moments in Willesden to allow Danny Sherman, Elliott Espinoza and Zak McLeod to secure Scrabble FC's 15th straight victory.
The latest team to try and end Scrabble's march to the Division Two title were L'Equipe. This was a contest between a big and strong physical side and the cultured football of the league leaders. A fierce start saw Scrabble awarded a penalty after just 20 seconds when Danny Sherman was brought down in the penalty area.Jonathan Peters well taken kick was brilliantly saved by the L'Equipe keeper.
At the other end Ben Law made an unbelievable world class double save to deny L'Equipe an early lead.
On 25 minutes a great run into the box by Jonathan Peters saw his shot brilliantly saved but Danny Sherman drove home to give Scrabble the lead from the follow up.
L'Equipe were using their height and strength at set pieces to test Law and the Scrabble defence on more than one occasion but just before half time Zak McLeod's testing corner was brilliantly headed home by Espinoza to make it 2-0 at the break.
The second half was a battle with the rain driving down and two players one from each side booked in a fiercely fought contest. All three substitutes were called on by Scrabble as fresh legs were needed and efforts from Don Nineberg and Sam Ruback in the last 20 minutes were brilliantly saved by the L'Equipe goalkeeper however he could do nothing about Zak McLeod latching on to Anthony Goodmaker's pin point accurate through ball with 80 minutes gone. McLeod made no mistake firing past the keeper to make it 3-0.
The match petered out in the driving rain as the Scrabble lads moved on to 45 points with seven games left in their league campaign as they home in on the title.
Scrabble boss Ray Abrahams told JC Sport: "We've now kept three straight clean sheets in a row which is pleasing. Today's game was tough and physical as L'Equipe are a big side and dangerous at set pieces.We really had to battle for the win and the three points but there is still a long way to go and we've got some tough games coming up in the next few weeks.
"Lions dropping two more points today has now firmly put us in the driving seat at the top of the table though. The lads gave it everything once again in difficult conditions and whilst I don't normally like to mention individuals Ben Law was immense in goal for us today with some unbelievable saves."
L'Equipe manager Nick Stern told JC Sport: "Though I was not there,after reading the match report from Scrabble and speaking to my team it seems like I can be one proud manager this Monday morning.
"As the headlines state it was all about THEIR goalkeeper, pulling off world class saves at 0-0 and 1-0 which kind of shows how far we have come and to be honest kind of sums up our last six games.
"We have come up against keepers who have been having their best games, been missing chances that should have gone in and even had the luck against us with their third goal clearly offside and a stonewall penalty denied. What was most upsetting about these decisions was that the ref even said he was wrong to our keeper which doesn’t help!
"It is getting frustrating but what I am immensely proud of is that attitude shown by my players and the fight that they showed against the ‘best team in the division’.
"I congratulate Scrabble for another win but huge plaudits for my team this week with special mention to our own keeper Mark Glucksman, as well as our returning centre half David Prager both of whom were immense."
