Abrahams shell-shocked after runaway leaders are hit for six
FOOTBALL SAM Marchant believes Maccabi London Lions B showed what they are capable of after ending Scrabble FC’s 100 per cent record with a crushing 6-1 victory in MGBSFL Division Two.
Scrabble had won their first 16 league games of the season — including a 2-1 win over Lions in November — but braces from Charlie Cohen, Jake Hayman and Nick Landesberg boosted MLL’s promotion hopes as they climbed into third position.
Lions’ boss Samuel Marchant said: “The boys knew what this game meant for us, and we fully committed to the game-plan we had worked on all week.
“We know as a team what we are capable of and it truly showed today.”
Scrabble boss Ray Abrahams admitted that despite “putting out a strong side, including Josh Bentley at the heart of the defence, we just weren’t at the races”.
Athletic Bilbaum maintained their excellent run of form with a 3-0 success over Faithfold C. Jacob Brunner (2) and Ed Green secured their sixth win of the season.
Bilbaum manager Nick Shinder said: “It was another strong and complete performance, with only the battling wind hampering our style.”
FC Team C edged out Catford & Bromley Maccabi 4-3 with strikes from Eddie Sternberg, Freddie Marks, Jamie Cooper and an own goal. Jamie Sinai (2) and player-manager Jeff Gotch registered for Catford.
A five-goal salvo from Daniel Garfinkle helped Redbridge Jewish Care A maintain their Premier Division challenge with a 7-1 win over Camden Park. Dean Nyman and Steve Summers completed the rout, with Redbridge boss Jon Jacobs describing it as being a memorable day for his “holy trinity”.
Ben Winters and James Gold helped Lions A come from two goals down to draw 2-2 against Harmen. Dominic Cheniart and Oliver Sade were the marksmen for Harmen.
Lions joint-manager David Pollock said: “We got going in the second half and showed more maturity compared to the first.”
Jono Gaon blew a hole in FC Team B’s promotion hopes following a 5-5 draw against Los Blancos in Division One. Adam Hersh and Sam Cramer also registered on a frustrating day for the FC Team defence. Strikes from Richard Salmon, Lorian Madanes, Jon Breger (2) and an own goal salvaged a draw for Mitch Young’s men.
Young said: “It was a total defensive shambles and the less said about the game the better.”
Oakwood B, another team chasing a top two finish, went down to a surprise 3-0 defeat against Faithfold B for whom Jamie Kent (2) and Ben Portnoi were the scorers.
Oakwood boss Jason Stein commented: “We were appalling in the first half and at 3-0 down, it was a big ask against a stronger-than-usual Faithfold.”
David Fialka inspired Redbridge B to a 4-2 victory in the Essex derby against Dan Andrews sealed the win. Sam McCarthy and Jamie Crawford replied for RJC.
SPEC FC returned to winning ways as strikes from Craig Cohen, Dan Amram, Elliott Wallis and Ashley Burns cemented a 4-1 success over Brixton Old Boys. Daniel Kuber fired a consolation.
SPEC player-manager Ricky Lawrence said: “After playing absolutely terribly in the first half we got our act together in the second and were good value for the victory.”