GARSTON LEAGUE INVITATIONAL CUP
TRING 0 MACCABI LONDON LIONS 4
Cup holders Maccabi London Lions moved smoothly into the next round of the GLIC with a 4-0 triumph at Tring.
The hosts rewarded Lions’ long trip for this early KO with use of the main stadium pitch. The wide expanse suited Lions, their extra energy and pace giving them the edge against a technically very decent side.
The visitors’ first-half performance however was top-drawer with some sparkling attacking play being rewarded with three goals.
The tone was set as early as the third minute; Alex Levack’s free-kick was half cleared back to him, he crossed again from where Lenchner (think Trevor Sinclair Vs Barnsley), having tried and spectacularly failed a similar attempt two weeks earlier, this week connected with a full bicycle kick that simply flew off the meat of his boot into the top corner. An outstanding goal.
It was pretty much all Lions – defensively solid as a rock they restricted Tring to virtually nothing, the energy of Matty Kleinman and Craig Pearl in midfield driving Lions on. The only sour note was the loss of Levack to his troublesome hamstring 20 minutes in, but from the game perspective Danny Daggers came in and kept things ticking over.
Chances came and went – Brad Lazarus saw a shot blocked, Pearl drove over and a great run from Rob Glass saw him collect a return pass and drill low towards the bottom corner, forcing a fine save.
The second goal though did duly arrive through skipper Lazarus, latching onto a poor kick out he nipped in front of the defender and, as the ball sat up, needed no second invite to strike sweetly into the far corner.
Shortly before the break and it was three, Adam Harvey won the ball and fed Tony Gold down the left. He delivered a pinpoint cross, Lenchner rose gloriously to power a header home.
Lions rang the changes, and a combination of these and the fact the game was seemingly in the bag saw the visitors understandably not anywhere near as sharp in the second period.
A couple of careless errors presented openings to Tring, twice they missed when well placed, twice Rob Abrahams earned his corn with excellent saves to preserve his clean sheet.
All the while however Lions were creating chances of their own. Daggers twice played in Pearl who on both occasions fired just over, Max Radford blasted wide and Hadley Silver was denied a fine finish by an offside flag.
Danny Reuben did however grab a fourth for Lions, calmness personified when given the freedom of the box he gave the keeper the eyes and clipped home.
So Lions cruised into the next round when they will travel to the winners of the Bushey against Mayfair tie.
