Mark Singer believes there is room for improvement after L'Equipe climbed to third in the MGBSFL second division after an Andy Smith inspired 6-2 success over Temple Fortune.
The day did not get off to the greatest start for L'Equipe, with First Team Coach and centre back stalwart David Prager having to pull out of the game after "doing his back in, by moving from a seated to a standing position in the changing room a touch too fast". He ought to be more careful in future with such aggressive movements pre-warm up.
Despite the early set-back, and having to make a late change to the starting line-up, it was to be the last piece of bad news for the day for the visitors in Pinner.
Things got off to a sensational start for L’Equipe with a goal in the first 10 seconds. Smith to Bohm to Singer to Mendel, through to the punishing Andy Smith. 1-0 L’Equipe.
James Mandell’s neat finish shortly afterwards would ultimately be one too many for a battling Fortune side. Fortune threatened from long throws and set-pieces but the two-goal lead was taken into the break.
The third goal was always going to be important. L’Equipe started slow and were punished accordingly with a decent solo goal from the Fortune forward. But that was the wake-up call that the oranges needed. Andy Smith punished some poor defending to restore the two-goal lead, before completing his hat-trick with a tap-in after a pearl of a cross from workhorse Mandell.
Fortune added a second from a set-piece, but it was too little too late. Man of the match Mandell sealed the deal with an absolute humdinger, almost impossibly curling one into the far corner from outside the box.
Smith put the icing on the cake with his best of his own bunch, and L’Equipe’s sixth of the game, turning a Fortune defender inside out before dispatching the finish with such force that he may have decapitated the Fortune goalkeeper had he managed to get anywhere near it.
It could have been more with Bohm hitting the post, Richard Alexander having a spectacular volley ruled out for an off-the-ball infringement and the Fortune keeper and captain making a couple of stunning saves for his side.
Adam Lenz and Mike Byers registered for Fortune.
L'Equipe's Mark Singer told JC Sport: ""All in all a very satisfying morning for L’Equipe. We’ll need to tighten things up at the back against stronger opposition, but another three points on the board is all that matters.
"Special mention to Andy Smith, who was relentless in front of goal, and gets back in front of his brother Mark in their race for the Golden Boot. And there was another sensational performance from in-form “Mendel” who gave it his all and reaped the rewards.
"Credit to Fortune for battling to the end.
"We’re delighted with the start we’ve had to the season. We can’t do more than beat the team in front of us and keep ourselves in contention at the top of the table.
"We look forward to welcoming Real Hendon to the fortress next week where we hope to pick up where we left off on Sunday."
Fortune boss Jonathan Cohen told JC Sport: "We gifted L’Equipe a 2-0 headstart in all honesty and although we were second best in the first half, we could have and should have gone in 3-2 up having squandered three really good chances.
"At 2-1 we were well in the game but I made the wrong substitutions – I took the wrong players off – and we never recovered.
"L’Equipe were deserved winners in the end but we will be better prepared for them next time."
