JC MSFL Division 2:
Holy Mount Zion 0 North London Raiders B 5
North London Raiders B got their season back on track with a resounding 5-0 victory over a plucky Holy Mount Zion Team.
A hat-trick from Nicky Woolf, and one each from Australians Daniel Miller and Steve Silver capped a fine performance from the amber men.
Raiders played with a verve the home team never came to terms with and made light of the absence of the injured James Foley-Comer (broken leg), Dan Warwick (dislocated ankle), Matt Greene (torn ankle ligaments), Darren Gerard (torn cruciate ligaments), Nick Kenton (achilles and knee ligament strain) and Ori Raveh (torn thigh muscle).
The game was barely five minutes old when a through ball from captain Silver gave Woolf the type of chance he craves. Woolf took his time but despite the defenders best efforts the ball ricocheted into the net to give Raiders an early lead and exactly the start they were looking for.
Raiders could and should have had a second soon after as Raiders piled on the pressure. A mix-up between the Zion keeper and defender put Freed clear with no keeper or defender to beat. Freed expertly controlled the ball with his first touch but his second touch allowed the ball to run away from himself and all the way across the goal line. Freed tried in vain to rectify the chance but only ended up putting the ball out for a goal kick.
Freed will be having nightmares about this miss and there is no doubt he will be looking forward to 2009 after suffering a turbulent year at the club featuring a two-week fine on tour, the rumours of a move over the summer which didn't materialise and the incident with the dog in the park.
Back to the action and despite gaining some decent possession in attacking areas Zion failed to create many chances in the first half leaving keeper David Simnock mainly untroubled.
Five minutes after the break Zion found themselves with a bigger mountain to climb when Silver doubled Raider's lead. A weighted cross from Rob Samuelson was flicked on by Woolf and in one movement Silver controlled the ball on his thigh before drilling the ball low and hard past the keeper's near post.
Two up and with the confidence running through L'orange the away side looked to put the result beyond doubt and Woolf did just that as he controlled a through ball from the latest signing from Australia Daniel Miller and slotted home.
Lewis Blitz was introduced as a second half substitute by Raiders and he soon was in the thick of action as he twice struck the bar from long distance. In midfield the triumvirate of Aussie, Aussie, Pom or Silver, Miller, Israel were now dominating proceedings and it was clear that more goals would be forthcoming.
The fourth goal eventually came courtesy of Miller, who gave the Zion keeper no chance with a powerful volley from 15 yards.
Woolf then capped a fine individual and team performance with his third two minutes from time, his second hat-trick of the season and fifth in 2008.
Richman said: "It was a really complete performance today, Stuart Haring and Dan Flitterman were compact and solid at the back and we really gelled in an attacking sense.
"The injuries have been mounting up and I would like to dedicate today's win to James Foley-Comer and Darren Gerard who have suffered two really serious injuries over the past few weeks."
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