JC MSFL DIVISION TWO
ATHLETIC BILBAUM 3 REDBRIDGE JEWISH CARE B 1

Athletic Bilbaum maintained hopes of automatic promotion with a hard fought win over Redbridge B in a match played in horrendous conditions at West Hendon Playing Fields.

Following the long journey to west Hendon, both teams made their way to the beautifully manicured pitches behind the changing rooms. RJC start warming up and were ready for kikccoff when Hendon C came on to the pitch and told Athletico Bilbaum that it was in fact their designated pitch.

The only spare pitch had huge puddles in one goal mouth and was unplayable.

RJC manager Jon Jacobs told JC Sport: "With a fixture backlog that runs to the end of May, and the fact that we were all there influenced a decision I knew would backfire."

Sure enough, with the game delicately poised at 1-1 and a contest Jacobs believed they had dominated, RJC looked set to take the lead with 20 minutes to go when Scott Oldstein sprung the offside trap, skipped round the keeper and drilled a shot goalwards. However, the shot was hit with pace but landed in a deep puddle on the goalline and got stuck in the mud.

A frustrated RJC simply lost their heads and conceded two late goals to lose a game Jacobs believed they had dominated.

He told JC Sport: "It is a shame that teams that are organised well can lose out on days like this playing on pitches that you should be sailing on not attempting to play football on."

What turned out to be a consolation goal for RJC was scored by Harrison Grant direct from a corner in the first half.

Man of the match: Mr Puddle - for that unbelievable goalline clearance forcing a goal-bound shot to sink into water stopping it going in the goal