MGBSFL DIVISION ONE

REDBRIDGE JEWISH CARE B 3 NORTH LONDON RAIDERS B 1

Sam Rank saluted goalkeeper Scott Shear for an outstanding performance as Redbridge Jewish Care B extended their perfect record with a hard-fought win over promotion rivals North London Raiders B.

Both teams where missing a number of players, due to injuries and unavailabilities. The game started off as a very timid affair. NLR were denied by the crossbar in the early exchanges and it was L'Orange who were playing the better football and looking dangerous on the counter-attack.

RJC eventually found their rhythm and they too came close when Kane Hopps ghosted past two players and unleashed a ferocious shot from 25 yards which was superbly tipped onto the bar by the NLR B keeper. The game was still even, with NLR B having more of the play, but the scores remained 0-0 at half time.

The home side knew they needed to up their game if they was going to keep their 100 per cent record going. However, they started in similar fashion to the first half, when two failed defences clearances, let the NLR B striker through, and he squared for his strike partner to put NLR B 1-0 up.

Then five minutes later, the turning point of the match. A weak back-pass by RJC B defender Dan Andrews was pounced on by the NLR B striker, who drove at RJC keeper Scott Shear. However, Shear stood up brilliantly and made a world-class save to keep the RJC B side in the game.

This save gave the whole team, a massive boost. Shortly after RJC B levelled the scores from an unlikely source. RJC B were awarded a free-kick just inside the their own half. Player-manger Sam Rank stepped up and whipped in a long ball into the box which drifted over the defence and bounced over the keeper head to put the scores level.

The pattern of play soon shifted in RJC's favour. Rank believes RJC B "superior fitness was kicking in, and the football that was being played is the standard which I know they can play to".

RJC's pressure eventually told when another great driving run by Hopps saw him played a through ball  to the returning skipper Brad Gayer, who cut from the edge of the box, and finished brilliantly with his weaker right foot to put the RJC  2-1 up.

RJC had a number of chances to kill the game off, but wayward finishing  ment their was still a chance NLR B could level the game on the counter. It needed more alert goalkeeping from Shear to keep them ahead. A quick counter down the left saw NLR get behind the RJC defence. The ball was crossed to the back post where the NLR B attacker let fly with a fantastic shot which was destined for the RJC B top corner, but somehow the Shear got finger-tips to the ball and ensuring the ball was tipped around the post. Just brilliant goalkeeping.

Then five minutes later, with NLR B pushing for an equaliser, the game was killed off. Joe Jordan, who had run his body into the ground, picked up the ball drove at NLR defence and squared for Hopps to kill the game off.

A delighted Rank told JC Sport: "Today's performance was not the greatest. But the last 30 minutes was the football we know we can play.

"We owe Scott Shear a big drink after the saves he made today. We move on to next week again against Oakwood B determined to keep the 100 per cent record going.

"Our fitness levels were brilliant today which shows the effort you put into training pay dividends on the pitch on Sunday.

"Full credit to NLR B, they are a great club, and I hope they will be taking some points of our title rivals during the second half of the season. We wish them good luck for the rest of the season."