Five-star Redbridge teach champions a lesson

Faithfold winger David Leiwy was displaying his pace, but there was no end product on this occasion as Redbridge defenced superbly.

The teams went into the break deadlocked at half-time due to wasteful finishing from both sides.

The message from acting-manager Sam Rank was "to continue what RJC were doing, and how crucial the first goal would be".

It took the visitors 12 more minutes to open the scoring following som magic from Jamie Bernstein. He picked the ball up around 40 yards out, drove with it, and from 30 yards let fly with a sensational drive which flew into the roof of the net.

RJC B were now dominating the play and second goal was soon to follow. Great work from the Redbridge midfield, due to good pressing and defending saw RJC  regain possession, and they turned defence into attack, with the returning Ben Chernoff running down the left wing. He squared the ball to Dan 'Flash' Gordon who produced a typically clinical finish to double the lead.

The heavens now opened for RJC B and it was soon 3-0, with the influential Bernstein scoring directly from a corner.

RJC made it 4-0 when another flowing attack resulted in a majestic finish from Gordon - with a delicious lofted chip finish from 20 yards. Rank commented: "Rumours have it Flash had been watching DVD of Steve Summers lofted chip finishes from previous years."

The final word went to Carl Dobrin who completed the rout with the fifth.

RJC acting-manager Sam Rank told JC Sport: "The boys were brilliant today - they were asked to work for each other and they delivered emphatically.

"There were some big performances - special mention to the keeper Elliot Coulton, who produced a very composed and strong game and the back four - Dan Lassman and Dan Adleman both deserved theire clean sheet.

"The full-backs of Adam Noble and Scott McKenzie were highly impressive, especially Noble in second half. He won the battle against Faithfold tricky winger David Leiwy. 

"Overall the RJC B boys showed what they are about today, in all areas of pitch. We also had a few players returning and this was a big help.

"We felt Faithfold and their manager, Avi, approached the game as an easy win, and they received a very big rude awakening.

"We will take this performance into our next game, and I would expect more of the same."

Faithfold player-manager Avi Markiewicz believes the scoreline did not give a fair reflection of the game. "We started brightly and were the better team with the better chances in the first half," he told JC Sport. "A mix of being a bit wasteful and some fine saves stopped us leading at half-time.

"Unfortunately in the second half several factors told; we were missing, Avi Mocton, Josh Wagner, Johnny Gahan, Ben Shirbini, Louis Naghten, Aaron Luftig, Dovi Vogel, David Kizneris and keeper Joseph Corin. We had a couple of B-team players, a stand-in goalkeeper, many players out of poistion and only one sub. The fact we were the better team in the first half was a credit to my team. We worked hard and produced a very good display.

"By the second half we became tired and Sam Sollosi, who came in from Redbridge' A-team, really started to get space and open up our team, and despite not scoring was the difference between our teams.

"It took Redbridge until about the 60th minute to realise that we had a stand-in goalkeeper. At that point they started hitting shots from everywhere and four of the five goals were long range pot shots, including a corner, all of which should really have been dealt with.

"It is also a bit of a shame as this was a game that we were already winning 1-0 at the 70th minute in full control a couple of months back only for the game to be abandoned and ordered to be replayed due to a serious Redbridge injury.

"I can't fault my players as they worked hard but with almost our entire first 11 missing, and only one sub it told in the end. We will write it off and move on, hopefully most will be back against Oakwood for the final game and we can go out with a bang."