CYRIL ANEKSTEIN CUP ROUND THREE
OAKWOOD B 3 HENDON UNITED SC B 2 AET
Player-manager Ian Tussie fired Oakwood B into the next round of the Cyril Anekstein Cup following a nail-biting victory over Division One strugglers Hendon B.
The mighty Oaks trailed 1-0 at the interval and Tussie was forced to deliver his first-ever hairdryer to the lads. The blast paid dividends as some choice words were said and some tactics were changed, with Eddie Manson, now playing centre midfield, equalising early in the second half with a trademark header.
Second division Oakwood B showed great bouncebackability skills as they beat Division One strugglers Hendon B in a five-goal thriller in a tie settled in extra-time.
At that point Oakwood were on top and looked like they would forge ahead before a bizarre incident midway through the half saw Hendon regain their lead. The ball went out of play and Tussie, on the sidelines, put his hand up to indicate a throw-in. The Oakwood players stopped, but Hendon played on and scored. The ref didn't give the throw because the flag didn't go up and the goal stood. Oakwood were livid; Ben Polak demanded they should be allowed to walk the ball in from kick-off, Manson demanded a cup replay a la Arsenal v Sheff United in '99 when Marc Overmars scored from a Kanu lay-off after the Sheffield United keeper had put the ball out for one of his players to receive treatment. Tussie told JC Sport: To be fair I don't blame the ref or their players, we should have flagged it and played to the whistle - end of.
Oakwood rallied and equalised in the 90th minute when Josh Marlow volleyed home at the far post after a barnstorming run and cross from Scotland's Adam Blin. They somehow contrived to almost concede straight afterwards but were saved, not for the first or last time, by the outstanding keeper Oren Hury who thwarted the Hendon striker in a one-on-one.
Into extra time and there were few chances. The most notable incident coming when a Hendon midfielder reacted badly to a tackle from Adam Blin and proceeded to kick him in the head. Tussie told JC Sport: "The player was constantly moaning at the ref and our players all game and ruined what was otherwise a friendly natured match. It's players like him that ruin the MSFL."
It mattered little however as Oakwood completed their stunning comeback 10 minutes from time as Dan Abrams slipped a through ball to Tussie and he passed it past the keeper for the win.
Hendon's goals came through R.A. Noe and Daniel Garfinkel.
Tussie told JC Sport; "It was nice for me to get on the scoresheet and give the manager (me) something to think about. It's going to be hard for me to break the news to myself that I'm dropped for next week's game.
"It was a great win for us after a bad start and we showed plenty of ruach to comeback twice and get ourselves into the bag. Fingers crossed we get our A team in the next round."
