MGBSFL DIVISION TWO
TEMPLE FORTUNE 2 RCUK FC 2
Avi Markiewicz praised the character of his RCUK FC team after came from two goals down to draw 2-2 against fellow high-flyers Temple Fortune in a thriller in front of the JC cameras.
A Zack Rich double had put Fortune in charge, but goals in the last 15 minutes from Jonti Aremband and David Brown preserved RCUK's unbeaten start.
In a contest where the action was fast and furious, RCUK struggled to play on a pitch that was very much not suited to the way they play. The dimensions were tiny and the surface bobbly and they found it very difficult to play the type of flowing football that we have done for the past two games.
TFFC found themselves two goals up at the break - capitalising on a defensive mistake and the other to a long throw and header.
RCUK, by their own admission, "weren't good enough and credit to Fortune for putting us on the back foot and punishing us, they were better than us in the first half and it certainly didn't seem that they were missing anyone.
RCUK changed things up at half time but we still couldn't find a way back in. They felt they should have had a couple of penalties but didn't panic. Instead they kept positive and then with about 15 to go Dovi Vogel played a defence splitting ball to Aremband who then beat a couple of men down the wing and scored with an excellent finish low into the corner.
Then in the 90th minute, from a long throw, Brown leaped highest to score a thumping header.
RCUK FC manager Avi Markiewicz told JC Sport: "Am I happy with the performance? No, we all needed to be better. Am I happy with the result? No, I want to win every game and I believe that we had enough quality to do so, but I am very happy with the attitude that we showed.
"You often see, especially amongst the better teams who are used to winning, that when things aren't going their way, they tend to turn on each other but we showed a fantastic team spirit, 2-0 down with 15 to go and to come out with a point shows that.
"Next week can't come soon enough and we are all desperate to get back on the pitch and wash out the bittersweet taste in our mouths."
Fortune boss Simon Linden told JC Sport: "I can't fault today's performance. It was frustrating to let a two-goal lead slip but there's so many positives to take from a true performance of grit and determination.
"I had nine players in total out of action this weekend so there was a real chance for some of the boys that hasn't been given a chance to step up to the plate and they didn't fail.
"I said to the team after the game, that we just watched the team that are supposed to be favourites for the title celebrate a 2-2 draw...can't be bad!"
