By Danny Caro
Three titles done and dusted by February. A little odd, some might say. But the season is far from over… the best is yet to come.
The respective division one, two and three titles are settled, but there is still plenty to play for. The race for the Premier Division is one of the tightest in years. As we have seen with Redbridge Jewish Care B, FC Team B and London Rovers, points in the bag are important, and with defending champions Hendon United Sports Club A sitting pretty, it will take something special from Norstar London Raiders A to stop them.
Redbridge A and Harmen remain in contention, but I can see them falling short. The real threat is from a Raiders team hungry for their first top-flight crown.
Indeed, Rob Richman’s boys know that if they win their remaining games, which includes one against Hendon, they will get the monkey off their backs, but it really is a big ask.
Hendon continue to go about their business in a professional manner, with several youngsters stepping up in the absence of captain Ari Last, last season’s Player of the Year.
Raiders and Hendon will also locks horns in the quarter-finals of the Peter Morrison Trophy in a fortnight, and, of course, they can still meet in the Cyril Anekstein Cup final, assuming Hendon overcome North West Neasden. So as far as these two are concerned, the season starts now.
* No one can argue that Leeds Maccabi are the best team in the MJSL. Dan Kristall’s boys have been the model of consistency, with 12 wins and a draw from their 13 games. Not only that, they have also scored the most, by some margin, and conceded the least and they will be relishing their forthcoming Peter Morrison Trophy clash against Maccabi London Lions Spartans.
With the likes of Jonny Goldstone, Richard Black and Rob Selwyn in top form, the business end of the season will separate the men from the boys.