Law stands tall to send Montana through

The first half was a scrappy affair with neither side dominating and passes were going astray. The first real chance came to Brady on 25 minutes when Jerome Colmans played a neat ball through to Platt whose tame shot went wide of the post.

On 35 minutes, Brady created another good opening after some poor Montana defending, the ball fell to Colmans who played in Josh Gordon but Law made a comfortable save.

Both sides appeared happy going in at the break level.

The tie came to lift in a second half that featured an entertaining display of football. The deadlock was broken on 48 minutes when a Simon Hecker free kick five yards inside the opponents half, caught out Brady keeper Ollie Colmans and sailed over his head. Colmans got a hand to it but the wind helped the ball in to the delight of the Montana players.

Rosenfeld and Gordon both went close in quick succession but could not manage to beat the magnificent Law in the Montana goal.

An equaliser looked inevitable as Brady were putting constant pressure on their visitors. Platt bought a fine save from Law as then did Gordon and Rosenfeld but Law stood firm and never looked likely to be beaten.

Hecker created a good chance against the run of play, Zaki Kramer could not meet his fine cross.

Then Andrew Shuster then had a great chance to equalise but his acrobatic effort was finely tipped over the bar by Ben Law.

The tie was put to bed eight minutes from time. Simon Peterman’s cross was met at the far post by Andrew Binstock and his powerful header with the help of the post beat keeper Colmans to double the lead.

Brady didn’t give up and in the last couple of minutes forced another fine save from Law, this time from Josh Gordon.

It was Montana progressed and booked their passage into the next round, an away trip to MJSL side Westdene 1st, but will have to thank a certain Mr Law for that!

Montana’s joint manager Elan Ovits told JC Sport: “We’ve kept several clean sheets recently and what’s more, we have been scoring goals and today we continued in that form and took chances that came our way.

“It was a close battle and after a sloppy first half we came out fighting in the second. We grouped together today and that was what won it.”

Joint Brady manager Jonny Meltzer commented: “We were unlucky have only ourselves to blame as we didn’t take our chances. Montana’s keeper was outstanding, and he was by far the difference between the two sides. We wish Montana good luck in the next round.”

Brady: Oliver Colmans, Joel Lassman (sub: Bloom), Rob Kleinmann, Jason Sears, Josh Rosenfeld, Matt Gilbery (sub: Oli Kenner), Andrew Shuster, Lee Platt, Josh Gordon, Jerome Colmans

Montana Boca: Ben Law, Adam Osper, Raymond Harrod, Tommy Miller (sub: Matt Lustigman), Virgil Levy, Danny Myers, Danny Cohen (sub: Alex Haffner), Simon Peterman, Andy Binstock, Zaki Kramer, Simon Hecker