By
Craig Silver
Peter Morrison Trophy Round One:
London Maccabi Lions A 9 UJS Norstar 1
London Maccabi Lions A are through to the second round of the Peter Morrison Trohpy after coming from behind to hammer Division Four's UJS Norstar at Rowley Lane.
A rampant Lions dominated the whole game however, that didn't stop Eli Houri giving the minnows a shock lead.
But a hat-trick from the returning Michael Pearson a brace from Rob Glass and further strikes from Max Fieldgrass, David Goldberg, Andy Myers and Dominic Cheniart sent the Lions through.
The odds were stacked against Norstar from the very start as the Lions fielded near enough their whole Saturday side which currently tops the Hertfordshire Senior County Premier League. This showed in the opening 10 minutes as the Lions passed the ball around the slippery Rowley Lane surface with great quality.
However, after surviving the opening quarter hour, Norstar began to give their illustrious opponents some problems as Houri raced past Adam Myeroff only to fire wide of the goal and Lions keeper Daniel Pauwen.
Houri put Norstar in dreamland two minutes later as the Division Four minnows claimed a shock lead. The move was started by great work from Nick Benson on the left flank. He found Maurice Franks on the edge of the box, whose scuffed shot found its way into the path of Houri who rifled home into the bottom corner. The magic of the cup was well and truly alive.
Unfazed, the Lions proceeded to dominate but just couldn’t get past the ever impressive Rob Pearl, who was keeping things very tight at the back for Norstar. However, with just two minutes left in the half, Tony Gold’s cross was confidently headed home by Rob Glass.
One became two for the home side after three minutes into the second half when Dominic Cheniart’s free-kick struck the post and was helped over the line by skipper Max Fieldgrass.
Lions went goal crazy in the last 20 minutes as they hit the target seven more times. Two quickfire strikes from Michael Pearson ensured there was to be no shock. His first a bullet header from another quality Gold’s centre. The second showed Pearson’s class as he superbly volleyed home leaving Johnny Evans in the Norstar goal rooted to the spot.
David Goldberg got in on the action, scoring Lions fifth with a header from another Gold cross. In the closing stages, Andy Myers caught Evans off-guard for Lions’ sixth. That was added to by a wonder strike from the left peg of Dominic Cheniart before Pearson completed his hat-trick and Glass completed the rout with his second.
Lions’ joint player-manager Andy Myers told JC Sport: “I think we dominated around 90 per cent of the game but full credit to Norstar, they never gave up and worked really hard to take the lead. In the end our quality showed and we played the ball around a lot quicker.”
Proud Norstar manager Phil Peters reflected: “I am very proud of my boys today. We did exceptionally well to hold out as long as we did. Coming to Rowley Lane is like coming to the Old Trafford of Jewish football and taking the lead here is what dreams are made of. I just think in the end their superior fitness was too much for us.”
Lions A: Pauwen 7, Rose 7, Myeroff 7, Reeves 7, Spiro 7, Glass 8, Gold 8, Fieldgrass 7, Goldberg 7 (sub: Myers 7), Cheniart 7, Pearson 9
Norstar: Evans 5, Daniels 6, Scher 6 (sub: Addelstone 5), Pearl 7, Plaskow 6, Elster 6, Benson 7 (sub: Kafton 5), Menahem 6, Houri 7, Franks 7 (sub: Kleinman 5), Newman 5