Lions suffered defeat in the cruellest of ways, missing out on a County Cup Final spot on the lottery of penalty kicks despite putting in probably the best team performance in the five years since this side was formed.
January 19, 2015 14:51
By Anonymous
MIDDLESEX COUNTY FA VETS CUP SEMI-FINAL
BUSHEY SPORTS CLUB 1 MACCABI LONDON LIONS 1 AET (Bushey won on penalties)
Lions suffered defeat in the cruellest of ways, missing out on a County Cup Final spot on the lottery of penalty kicks despite putting in probably the best team performance in the five years since this side was formed.
Up against Bushey Sports Club (BSC), the best Masters side around - denied the quadruple only when they themselves lost out on penalties in the National final last season - Lions showed no fear and probably, on the balance of play, deserved the win.
Dan Jacobs and Dan Reuben tweaked things a little, and those alterations worked well for the visitors from the off as the team put the plans into action almost to perfection. Missing Paul Lenchner, Gideon Barnett and Bradley Lazarus, it was Reuben himself who ploughed a lone furrow up front, with Craig Pearl instructed to break forward where possible.
Jon Rayner took up an alien position further forward and excelled, as did Hadley Silver on the other flank. Both worked tirelessly to protect their full back, both drove forward at every chance and delivered with quality.
It was the former with the game's first real chance, latching onto a through ball his first time shot brought a smart stop from BSC's giant keeper. The resulting corner however almost brought the opener as the keeper fumbled Silver's ball in, but no-one was on hand to knock home the loose ball.
And from their next corner they again almost led, this time the keeper the hugely relieved when his attempted punch slid off his fist towards his own goal, only to be headed off the line.
It was in midfield that Lions got on top of the game. Pearl ensured Lions old boy Aviel Schwarz was given no time to play while the energy of both Matty Kleinman and Alex Levack had Lions on the front foot. And, of course, defensively the visitors were superb from the off. Guy Morris and Andy Myers dominant in the centre, Adam Myeroff and Marc Green outstanding both defensively and offensively at full-back, while the returning Jacobs was his old solid self between the sticks.
Lions kept pushing. Pearl was crudely upended 30 yards from goal. Silver delivered with quality, Morris' flicked header grazing the post as it passed just the wrong side of the upright.
Just passed the half hour though their excellent start was finally rewarded. Greene broke up another BSC sortie forward before feeding Rayner who galloped forward. A pass inside to Reuben who bought a yard before crossing to the penalty spot where Kleinman's lung busting run saw him sweep home a quite brilliant finish on the half volley that simply flew into the net passed the helpless keeper.
The BSC response was as to be expected, and this, coupled with an altogether understandable drop in Lions tempo after the energy expended at the start saw the home side start to get back in the game. Lions' cause wasn't helped when they lost Kleinman to his unreliable hamstrings, although in Paul Linger they had a pretty decent replacement.
As Lions dropped a little deeper so Bushey got sights of goal, but Jacobs showed no signs of rustiness as he saved or caught anything that came into his box.
With Junior Lewis, the former Leeds United assistant-manager and veteran of just the 350 football league games, taking control of things for Bushey, the hosts pressed Lions back at the start of the second half, but the back four stood up superbly to all thrown at them and kept Jacobs well protected.
Russell Brill and Kaye were brought on to up the energy for Lions, but before they could make an impact Bushey equalised, albeit in somewhat controversial circumstances as they capitalised on being awarded a corner when the ball was someway from going out of play. Although they will know they should deal with the ball in, the delivery was quality and their 6'5" centre back will always be a threat ... and so he was as he rose above Rayner to power home from eight yards.
Rather than retreat into their shell as they may have done in the past, Lions came again. And in the closing quarter of the game had the chances to win the tie. An unusual heavy touch from Linger allowed the keeper to claim before he was inches away from getting on the end of Kaye's cross. Max Radford had a chance to shoot, but needed an extra touch to get the ball under and that opening also went begging.
But it was Kaye with the best chance to win it. Levack and Brill combined to to find Rayner who in turn found Linger. His brilliant clipped pass found Kaye's run into space, but his header went agonisingly wide and with it Lions' chance to win it.
Both sides had half chances only from there meaning the tie would be decided on penalties. Levack, Linger and Myeroff converted for Lions, but with Silver having missed it was left to Bushey captain Short to find the net and with it came the reward of a cup final place.
Having given so much this was cruel, really cruel, on Lions, with scant consolation that in the bar post-match, most felt they had deserved the win. All players would have scored 8-plus out of 10. Levack had a terrific game in the centre, Rayner likewise out wide but Greene followed up his performance in the quarter-final with another fine display and deserved the man-of-the-match plaudits.
LIONS: Dan Jacobs, Adam Myeroff, Guy Morris, Andy Myers, Marc Green, Jon Rayner, Matt Kleinman, Hadley Silver, Craig Pearl, Alex Levack, Danny Reuben. Subs: Adam Kaye, Max Radford, Paul Linger, Russell Brill