Ivan Gee believes his Haroldeans stars will face the ultimate challenge when they take on Leeds Maccabi 1st in Sunday’s Peter Morrison Cup second round clash.
MJSL league leaders Haroldeans have won all nine of their league fixtures this season and have raced ten points clear at the summit.
Ian Selwyn’s Maccabi will start as firm favourites having booked their place in the third round of the Leeds and District Jubilee Cup with the 5-2 thrashing of Cuedos Rangers last weekend.
Haroldeans will have to do without the injured trio of Simon Gould, Bobby Fishel and Paul Harris on Sunday and Gee is wary of the task facing his players.
“Leeds play in a better class of league and they’re a very good side,” said Gee.
“They beat us last season 5-2 although I thought we made a fist of it for a while, we didn’t really manage to trouble them.
“Hopefully this year we can do better and with the run we’ve been on, we’re all very confident.”
Haroldeans continued their perfect start to the season last weekend with a 3-1 win over Hyde Park courtesy of a Bobby Abrams hat-trick.
The in-form striker leads the MJSL scoring charts having already hit 13 goals this season and Gee says Abrams was always destined to become a Haroldeans legend.
“Bobby’s a class act and he could easily play at a higher level if he wanted,” added Gee.
“But he’s been with us since he was seven and always wanted to play for Haroldeans.
“I remember him sitting on a wall before we left for an away game as a kid and telling me, ‘one day I’ll play for you, Ivan’.
“I said to him, ‘one day you will Bobby, maybe when you’re a bit bigger’ but he wasn’t having any of it. He wanted to play for us there and then.
“He was only a child but he was desperate to play for us and he loves it here.
“It will be tougher for him against Leeds but he’s a fantastic player and I’m sure he’ll do well.”
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