ByDanny Caro, Danny Caro
A man of the match performance from Zevi Saunders was the platform for Crumpsall’s first victory of the season.
Westdene started the basement battle strongly. After two minutes, Daniel Klappish raced onto as through ball and coolly slotted into the bottom corner.
This served as a wake up call for Crumpsall and they started to play nice passing football and winning all the 50/50s. Indeed Shya Halpern hit a post and Yossi Saunders had a goal ruled of for offside.Saunders made some excellent lung-bursting runs into the box but was thwarted by Caplin in the Westdene goal.
The match turned on its head on the half hour mark when Caplin carried the ball out of his area taking a high goal-kick. From the resulting free-kick, Shiran Kramer poked the ball home following an excellent dummy from Yossi Saunders drawing a defender out of his path.
Crumpsall took the lead five minutes later when Kramer lobed the keeper with a cross-cum-shot from the left hand side.
Crumpsall were really buzzing at this stage - winning every header - and Zevi Saunders winning everything at the back. However, Westdene were gifted a goal when the ref adjudged a Guy Bendavid header had crossed the line much to the disbelief of the Crumpsall players who argued otherwise and the amazement of the Westdene players who did not even appeal. After a couple of bookings and a calming word from skipper Zevi Saunders, Crumpsall started to re-impose themselves buoyed on by their sense of injustice.
A sweeping move down the left saw Shiran Kramer cross in for Shya Halpern to tap home the winner. The last 12 minutes seemed to take forever but nothing was going to rob Zevi Saunders of his first win in 18 months.
Zevi Saunders said: “I’m absolutely delighted with the effort and performance my guys put in. I can't tell you how this feels as I have always given my all for the last 18 months in trying to get a win. To be awarded the Man of the match just made it all the more special.”