MGBSFL DIVISION ONE

NORTH LONDON RAIDERS B 6 TEMPLE FORTUNE A 1

Missing midfielders Mike Woolf, Eshed Rahav and Michael Goldberg, Fortune held their own in the first half against opponents favoured to feature in the Division One promotion mix.

Gab Stone put Fortune ahead but NLR levelled in an action-packed first half, with Josh Green converting from the spot after Charles Braunstein was upended in the box.

Raiders turned the game on its head with second-half and they took the lead just after the hour when Elliot Espinoza bravely nodded home at the far post converting a delicious cross from Braunstein. Espinoza took a blow to the head  in the process and had to be subbed.

Debutant Ricky Lawrence sprayed a beautiful 50-yard pass to Josh Goldstein who dazzled his marker and smashed the ball in to the bottom corner to make it 3-1.

Scott Waissel and David Esterkin then combined to release Jake Gilbert who flicked home to make it 4-0 before Lawrence got on the scoresheet as he got on the end of a sumptuous Rob Blackman free-kick to clip home Raiders' fifth.

NLR boss Jonny Adelman told JC Sport: "Ultimately the scoreline was convincing but that doesn't tell the full story. Temple Fortune gave us a tough time for large portions of the game.

"We looked pretty rusty after three weeks without a game and we'll need to step up significantly if we want to get anything from our games against both Redbridge sides in the coming weeks."

Fortune boss Simon Linden told JC Sport: "It was a very frustrating morning because for 60 minutes we were well and truly in the game and had chances to go in front.

"I can't fault my team - they worked hard and only for a soft penalty we came in level at half-time. We can't let the first two weeks beat us, we need to get players back and go again next week in the cup."