All eyes will be on Wingate & Finchley on Sunday afternoon as Hendon look to seal the first part of the possible treble in the Jewish FA Cup final against Oakwood, while there's a mouth-watering game in prospect in Division Three earlier in the day as L'Equipe look to clinch the title against a Loughton Orient team hoping to bow out on a high. Danny Caro looks ahead to all the action.
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FC TEAM B vs ATHLETIC BILBAUM PHOTOGALLERY
REDBRIDGE JC B vs FC TEAM C PHOTOGALLERY
ALL MATCH PHOTOS FROM THE SEASON
ALL MATCH VIDEOS FROM THE SEASON
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CUP FINAL DATE:
Cyril Anekstein Cup
Hendon United Sports Club A vs Norstar London Raiders A
Date: May 4, KO - 4.30pm
Wingate & Finchley FC
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YOUR WEEKEND PREVIEW STARTS HERE:
PETER MORRISON TROPHY FINAL
HENDON UNITED SPORTS CLUB A vs OAKWOOD A
David Garbacz has pinpointed his nephew, Josh Bentley, as the man Hendon need to stop if they are to clinch the first part of a possible treble in Sunday’s Peter Morrison Trophy final at Wingate & Finchley.
Having cut NLR’s lead at the top of the MGBSFL Premier Division to just six points, with three games in hand, Garbacz is confident his players can preserve their unbeaten domestic streak against an Oakwood team they beat in the Jewish FA Cup final two seasons ago.
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CUP FINAL SQUADS:
HENDON: Russell Corin, Alex Rosenthal, Avi Korman, Ben Kon, Ari Nevies, Motti Colman, Josh Lipman, Alex Gilbert, Ari Last (capt), Rafi Kon, Yoav Lebens, Yehuda Korman, Yishai Last, Yoav Kestenbaum, Greg Corin, Avidan Last, Danny Kon, Jacob Gold, Dovid Korman
Manager: David Garbacz
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OAKWOOD: Oli Gee, Dan Cohen, Dave Cohen, Jonny Beilin, Ilan Scorah, Adam Levine, Sam Jacobson, Danny Ailion, Harvey Kaye, Louis Basger, Eddie Manson, Dan Geey, Josh Bentley, Dan Rose, Josh Rose, Alex Koslover, Carl Peters, Guy Helman, Bobbie Cousins, Dan Ash, Bobby Cousins, Antony Kintish, Jonny Quinn, Dave Woolman, Josh Rubin
Managers: Ric Blank & Alex Schock
DC Prediction: Hendon 2 Oakwood 1
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MGBSFL PREMIER DIVISION
TOP-SCORERS
16 - Yishai Last (Hendon A)
13 - Matt Stock (NL Raiders A)
FAITHFOLD A vs FC TEAM A
FC Team have the chance to secure their top-flight football once and for all when they travel to last season’s champions, for whom the end of the season cannot come soon enough.
I expect some heads to roll in the Faithfold camp over the summer as manager Zuriel Solomon looks to freshen things up and bring in some new blood.
Injury to key midfielder Alex Kaye has hit the Superhoops hard and even though he recently returned to training, the chances are that this game will come too soon as there’s no point risking anything for a game that is effectively a dead-rubber for the home side.
Ahead of the game, Solomon told JC Sport: “It’s our last game of the season and not really the ending we would have hoped for. We need to give a good account of ourselves and hopefully finish of with a win.”
A draw will be enough to ensure Team finish outside the top two. As things stand, Lions White can still catch them, but I expect Mitch Young to treat this game like a cup final and get a strong squad out.
Indeed it was Young who led his side to victory against the Hoops at the start of the season and he’ll be relishing the prospect of a league double over the fallen giants.
JC team news: Faithfold will be missing Alex Taylor and Sam Lewis, but welcome back Joe Cohen.
Venue – Chase Lodge, Ref –
JC star man: Mitch Young (Team)
DC Prediction: Faithfold 1 Team 2
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DIVISION ONE
TOP-SCORERS
23 - Jono Gaon (Blancos)
20 - Harrison Midda (Woodford)
16 - Mitch Hahn (Woodford)
BRADY MACCABI B vs NORTH WEST NEASDEN
It’s advantage Neasden as things stand, but boosted by points from recent defaults, a Brady win would see them leapfrog Stirling Kay’s troops in one of the must-watch games this weekend.
Both teams have tough final matches next week, with Neasden travelling to Chigwell and Brady taking on league leaders Woodford, so a win for either team would really make things interesting.
A point would be more than useful for NWN, but I expect Kay to send his boys out gunning for three points, just as they did last month when Dan Orgel was the star man.
The RJC old boy bagged a brace and ran the Brady defence ragged in a game where recent signings Jamie Kent and Adam Arnold finished the job.
Given that NWN’s form on the road has been good and Brady’s home form has been indifferent, the signs all point towards a narrow NWN win, but don’t be surprised if Brady consider draftng in one of two A-team squad players.
Looking ahead to the game, Kaye told JC Sport: “Quite simply if we win we are promoted - then it will be all down to the last game needing to win and waiting to see how woodford do, and it could go down to goal difference.
“But first of all we have a big game against Brady. They need a draw or win to keep their chances alive.
“In my view they were one of the best teams we have played. They don't depend on one or two players they play for each other - their team has been successful this year because they play for each other.
“We are the same we have no stars we go out each week with great team spirit and wanting to play for each other and work very hard to win each game. This game will be no different.
“We know we will have to match Brady in there desire and work-rate and take our chances when they come. This will be our toughest game whatever team we put out you can be sure we will be trying to put them on the back foot.
“We’re missing several players through injury, suspensions, stag do’s and holidays. Like most teams you can only sign so many players so we won't know until Sunday what side we will put out.
“It's the same for Brady win lose or draw both teams will have no excuses.”
In the end it will all boil down to which team keeps its discipline best, oh and 11 men on the pitch.
Venue – Rowley Lane, Ref – Neil Cooper
JC star man: Jamie Kent (NWN)
DC Prediction: Brady 2 NWN 3
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DIVISION TWO
TOP-SCORERS
22 - Ben Zloof (AC Mill Hill)
20 - Nathan Sollosi (Redbridge B)
18 - Nicky Woolf (Raiders B)
FC TEAM B vs AC MILL HILL
The Redbridge results apart, FC Team are one of the form sides at the minute and they will be looking to finish the season on a high.
Ben Radstone and Paul Savitz were the marksmen when Team beat Mill Hill 2-0 in November, although at the time not many people would’ve believed the boys in yellow and blue would be higher in the table with one game to play. It’s been quite a dramatic turnaround for a side who reached the last four of the Morrison.
Player-manager David Gordon told JC Sport: “We’ve moved into our highest position of the season and we aim to stay there.
“We’ve done brilliantly to get to fourth, considering where we were, and the boys deserve all the credit because they have stepped it up and their excellent attitude has made my job very easy.
“I hope we can end this season with an excellent win and a very creditable top four finish to go with our superb cup run.”
Mill Hill will be buoyed by the fact they can pip Team to fourth if they exact revenge but they have been poor, with the exception of the Haroldeans game, since the turn of the year, with several players playing for new contracts.
The first goal will be crucial on Sunday and I’m tipping Team to take it.
Venue – Old Camdenians, Ref – Andy Myerson
JC star man: Tom Miller (Team)
DC Prediction: Team 3 Mill Hill 1
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FC TEAM C vs LONDON HAROLDEANS
FC Team hope the gods smile on them over the summer, praying that third place will be enough for them to go up.
Automatic promotion went out of the window when they went down against Redbridge B, and they will be looking to take out their frustrations against relegated London Haroldeans.
The strugglers were rolled 8-1 by Team earlier in the season, when David James Cohen
(2), Adam Aminoff, Rob Sanford and David Joseph Cohen (3) filled their boots.
The bottom line is that Haroldeans haven’t been good enough this season and their character will be tested to the limit in a game they only have pride to play for.
Venue – Old Camdenians, Ref – Robert Benardout
JC star man: David James Cohen (Team)
DC Prediction: Team 6 Haroldeans 1
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DIVISION THREE
TOP-SCORERS
41 - Richard Fogelman (L’Equipe)
24 - Dan Gordon (Faithfold C)
15 - Dovi Fehler (Boca)
LOUGHTON ORIENT vs L’EQUIPE
Forget the Morrison final. Sunday will be a big day for both Loughton and L’Equipe – for very different reasons.
A L’Equipe win would result in champagne corks flying as they pip long-time leaders Norstar London Raiders C to the title. Anything less and they would have to settle for second place.
Joint-manager Dan Cordell spoke to JC Sport ahead of the big game. "This is the biggest game of the season, in fact in lequipe recent history, for us by a long way.
"Everyone is desperate to play a part for the team and we are only without co manager Josh Lewis and long term injuries of Perry Chaya and Richard Male.
"We know Loughton will not do us any favours so we have to go into this game focused and on the ball – three points is the name of the game!"
And it also promises to be an emotional day for the L’Equipe main man Richard Fogelman who hopes to bow out on a high, with retirement on the agenda, once again.
All eyes will be on L’Equipe and their talisman, Fogelman he told JC Sport: “I have won three divisions in the MGBSFL in the last 10 years, but this one will mean a lot - simply because of what it means to the rest of the boys.
"The core of the team have been there from the club’s inception eight years ago and they are the most committed, loyal and great bunch who all deserve a winners medal.
"Given that the club have never finished in a top two position, history is already broken with more history likely to be made this Sunday.
"With Norstar's season finishing early (due to matches not being called off on their astro pitches), L’Equipe had five games in hand and knew that they had to do the impossible and win all of them to finish as champions by one point. Four out of the five have been won and it is just Sunday that lies in the way.
“With four wins on the spin, nine wins and two draws from 11, unbeaten at home all season and unbeaten in 2014, can L'Equipe do the unthinkable and finish as champions?”
But not only the Schnitzelman, Sunday also marks the end of an era for Loughton Orient
As a teary-eyed manager Dan Curtis told JC Sport: "This will be the last game in the history of Loughton Orient as the team will be breaking up over the summer.
"We intend to go out in style and finish the season with a victory. Our recent form has been excellent and had we shown that throughout the entire season, I’m sure we would’ve been title contenders with the players we have."
Many of whom will be playing their last 90 minutes of football before retiring and taking their pensions.
JC team news: Loughton are missing Marc Jacobs, Dean Silver and Jaimie Sinclair who are all heading up to Newcastle for medical before their big moves.
Venue – Chigwell Sports Club, Ref – Adam Lewis
JC star man: Richard Fogelman (L’Equipe)
DC Prediction: Loughton 2 L’Equipe 4
