Manchester Maccabi start Sunday’s outstanding PMT quarter-final against Haroldeans as favourites in what could be one of the games of the season.
March 4, 2019 10:45Scott McGarvery’s team will travel to Childwall in Liverpool in confident mood on the back of a nine-match unbeaten run in the league.
They were just 10 minutes away from securing their seventh win in the Cheshire & Manchester League Division One last weekend, leading an indisciplined Sale Moor United 12-1 before their opponents walked off the pitch in dispute over a red card. Jake Kelly and Aaron Goldman scored hat-tricks, while Sam Hatton, Jason Hamburger and Michael Sacks bagged braces.
The team also features former non-league star Louie Basso, Sam Van Gelder and Greg Jacobs, the son of former British, Commonwealth, and European welterweight title-holder Gary.
Haroldeans also go into the tie in great shape. Mike Bloomberg’s troops have won their last six matches, including a crushing 5-0 win at FC Fazakerley last weekend. Bobby Fishel is in red-hot form after his first-half hat-trick, while Max Barnett (2) also looked sharp.
The Merseysiders are challenging for silverware on three fronts and are having a fantastic first season in non-Jewish football. And goal machine Adam Shiffman will be determined to help his team reach the final for the second consecutive year.
Ahead of the tie, Haroldeans’ chairman Fraser Saville said: “The boys are in good shape and you be can sure Manchester won’t have things all their own way.”
The Morrison meeting comes a week after Liverpool’s goalless Premier League draw against United at Old Trafford, but Saville has assured me his ballboys haven’t been instructed to slow down the game in a bid to frustrate the visitors! The winner will join holders Maccabi London Lions, HMH and surprise package Mill Hill Dons in Monday’s semi-final draw.
* Scrabble FC A have withdrawn from the MGBSFL first division. Having (technically) played 75 per cent of their fixtures, their remaining matches have been awarded to their opponents.
* London Maccabi Vale could be without record run-scorer Adam Brand for the much of the Chess Valley League season after he suffered tears to both ACL ligaments while skiing.