HERTS COUNTY CUP SEMI-FINAL

MLFC 5 GARSTON 0

The visitors, having withdrawn from league action, had focused their attention on putting a competitive side out to defend their trophy, and in the early stages defended resolutely, looking to exploit the pace of their left winger on the counter-attack.

But Adam Myeroff used his pace and strength to excellent effect in the right-back role, and in turn drove forward powerfully, delivering dangerous balls on three  occasions that merited more.

Despite being on top though, Garston restricted clear sights of their goal to a minimum, but the goal when it came was no more than the hosts deserved. A crossfield ball into Steve Summers saw him challenge the aerial duel with two defenders, succeeding in flicking the ball into the path of Lee Cash. Twenty yards out and from the corner of the box the Maccabi hit man watched the ball drop onto his foot, rifling a quite unstoppable volley into the top corner.

Maccabi were buoyed by the strike and really went at Garston, Cash squaring just past the sliding Hakim at the far post, the latter with two other efforts that could have threatened more. But just before the break a fine move doubled the lead.

Wining the ball in midfield, Guy Morris headed to David Soutar who helped it into the path of Corin who, with a yard of space was able to drive at the Garston back-line. As he approached the box he rolled a pass into the path of Summers who took a touch before lifting it over the onrushing keeper, the ball nestling into the far corner.

As expected, Garston pushed hard at the start of the half, but despite having to cope with injuries to both Summers and Cash, they remained a threat going the other way.

Maccabi, rock solid at the back and well protected in midfield continued to control the game, and 15 minutes into the second period made certain of safe passage. Alex Levack did brilliantly to win the ball back and feed Paul Hakim. His initial cross was headed clear under pressure but only as far as Saul Conway who drove the ball home on the half volley – the crispest of finishes.

And his non-stop work was rewarded with a second, Corin and Hakim combining to present Conway with the far simpler task of slotting home at the far post.

Garston heads understandably dropped, and with Corin, seemingly everywhere, Maccabi could have added several more despite playing the last minutes with ten men; with Levack injured and no remaining fit substitutes. They did register one more, Hakim was played in through the centre dinking over the keeper for number five.

The final takes place on March 8 – provisionally a 2.30pm KO at the County Ground.

MLFC: Rob Abrahams, Adam Myeroff, Adam Harvey, Rob Glass, David Soutar, Greg Corin, Alex Levack, Saul Conway, Lee Cash, Steve Summers. Subs: Danny Berg, Paul Hakim