MGBSFL DIVISION TWO
FAITHFOLD DOC MM B 0 HERTSWOOD VALE 2
Strikes from Josh Gorb and Elio Elia helped Vale finish the season on 40 points - and only Redbridge Jewish Care B can pip them to the title, on goal difference, assuming they win their five remaining matches.
Vale faced a Faithfold B side that nearly made them pay the last time the teams met, but this time they were strengthened by the inclusion of A-team wing wizard David Leiwy. However, this didn’t faze Vale who marshalled him well throughout.
The visitors made a dream start when Gorb scored his fifth goal in his last five games after just five minutes. A lofted through-ball from Millet found Jordan Harris wide right, who played a delicious cross into the path of Gorb who finished at the first time of asking.
The game was a very stop-start affair, which affected Vale's momentum, but didn’t stop them playing some free-flowing attacking football. Vale came close to a second close to half-time, only to be denied by an incredible save from the Faithfold keeper; the ball found its way to Harry Graham just inside the box, he hit a brilliant first-time shot which was headed for the corner only to be denied by a fabulous reflex save.
Vale continued to create chance after chance in the second half, limiting Faithfold to just a couple of pot-shots throughout the match, but they continued to miss guilt-edge opportunities when they presented themselves.
However, the second goal eventually came with 75 minutes on the clock. Gorb was in the thick of it once again, playing a cross into the box which took a slight deflection off a Faithfold player before finding Elio Elia – he took one touch before firing it into the far corner. This was Elia's first strike of the season in what has been quite a disrupted campaign for him, but ultimately it was the goal that clinched promotion.
Jubilant Vale joint-manager Jacob Emanuel told JC Sport: "Today was a comfortable victory, and another disciplined display from the boys. Had we taken our chances, it could easily have been five or six, but we’ll take the 2-0." This was Vale's fourth league clean sheet of the season, and the win came on joint-manager Danny Hirschberger's birthday!
Emanuel went on to say: "It’s difficult to sum up my feelings. It’s been a brilliant season for everyone involved in the club - to be able to clinch promotion is massive, and the least the boys deserve for the season they’ve had.
"After a strong start to the campaign, we faced a difficult period of three losses in four games only a couple of months back, but we came together, got our season back on track, and grabbed five wins in our last six games to secure promotion.
"It’s amazing to think how far we’ve come as a club since we formed three seasons ago and lost our first 11 games in the league – but we’ve kept a core group of players and built a quality team. Five of today’s 15 played in our first game, coincidentally also against Faithfold B back in September 2016, and they’ll know more than most how far we’ve come."
Asked how the club plan to celebrate, Emanuel added: "Danny, Viv, Jack and I will be enjoying a cheeky drink or two with the lads in the coming weeks to celebrate a brilliant achievement.
"For now, we look forward to facing Oakwood B in the BG cup in three weeks time. In regards to the league – Redbridge, it’s over to you!"
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