Faithfold manager Zuriel Solomon believes his players are ready to make history and become the first Jewish team to win the London FA Sunday Intermediate Cup.
A goal from Daryl Phillips took Faithfold to within a point of top spot in the JC MSFL Premier Division last weekend and they will be looking to complete the first part of a possible league and cup double against Shoots & Leaves FC at Wingate & Finchley on Sunday.
Solomon told JC Sport: "We are really motivated as it has been a long time since we reached this final. Our defeat in the 2002 final is still in our memories — it was a hard defeat to take but the boys are really focused and ready."
Faithfold's last piece of silverware came in season 2004/05 and although they have seen their hopes of a quadruple come to a halt, Solomon is confident their barren spell will come to an end.
Solomon said: "Our recent Anekstein Cup defeat against Lions was disappointing, but we were our own worst enemies as we just couldn’t put the ball in the net. That game is history now and we have learned to move on quickly from that defeat."
Phillips steered Faithfold into the LFA Cup final after coming off the bench to score twice in the 3-2 semi-final win over Convoys and the Faithfold manager will look to the old guard, along with the likes of Mike Pearson, Alex Kaye, Paul Babai, Jonny Haik and Dan Perkins to impress.
Looking ahead to the game, Solomon said: "We don't know much about our opponents as is the case when we have played any team in this competition. All we know is they must be decent to have reached the final.
"I know Wingate well, as do a few boys, but we have a lot who don't. The facts are this is a one-off game with two teams hoping they can win so the pitch does not play a part."
Phillips says the team has unfinished business in the competition and believes the current Faithfold squad are better equipped to win the cup.
"We were physically beaten up in the last 20 minutes 11 years ago. This new squad is just as good a footballing team as the Faithfold team of the late 1990s, but with supreme strength and power to match.
"It's been 4,015 days since that final and now is time for Faithfold FC to print our name on the LFA Cup."
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