Jody Marks believes the best team won after Adam Lavin steered South Manchester past arch rivals Maccabi Manchester to set up a trip to Chigwell Athletic in the next round of the National Cup.
March 17, 2014 11:25
PETER MORRISON TROPHY
SOUTH MANCHESTER SPORTS CLUB 1st 1 MACCABI MANCHESTER 1st 0
Jody Marks believes the best team won after Adam Lavin steered South Manchester past arch rivals Maccabi Manchester to set up a trip to Chigwell Athletic in the next round of the National Cup.
South started brightly and missed two guilt-edged chances through Marc Yaffe and one from Mark Stewart which he will want to forget for a long time to come.
The hosts continued to create chances through the lively Lavin and Toby Levy, but couldn't find the breakthrough their dominance deserved, and were nearly undone themselves close to half time as Maccabi upped their tempo with Shapiro missing an open goal and Alex Davies producing an excellent one-on-one save from the lively Ryan Silvester.
Goalless at half-time, the first goal was always going to be crucial and South started in similar fashion not allowing Maccabi to play their passing and high-tempo game and soon after the break Levy forced Shapiro in the Maccabi goal into a fine point-blank save.
On the hour mark, Lavin finally made the breakthrough to ease South's nerves as they wondered whether a goal would ever come. A great defence splitting pass by Antony Jacobs found Lavin beating the offside trap and finishing coolly.
Maccabi pressed hard for the equaliser but couldn't find the breakthrough and South closed the game out and deserved their victory.
Next Sunday sees South Manchester travel down to London to play MGBSFL first division outfit Chigwell.
South Manchester boss Jody Marks told JC Sport: "I was delighted with the lads and felt we fully deserved our victory.
"Maccabi are a young and very fit team with some great talent and managed by Jonny Rose, we knew we were in for a tough game. It was imperative we matched their tempo and the way we handled them was a credit to the lads.
"We could and should have been two or three clear by half time and I believe a scoreline of four or five would not have flattered us on the day.
"Fifteen games unbeaten in all competitions now and we are looking forward to the next round as we continue our march towards an unprecedented treble."
Maccabi manager Jonny Rose said: "There was little between the two teams, but I felt their experience made the difference.
"We are a young team and sometimes you need that little bit of know-how to see you through in some games.
"We had some chances, just as they did, but it wasn’t to be. There’s no complaints on our part. We wanted to progress, but we have to forget about this game and move on."