ByDanny Caro, Danny Caro
Maccabi GB's Open Futsal Team maintained their 100 per cent record with a stuttering performance against National League Futsal team West London at the Crystal Palace National Sports Centre on Monday night.
Manager Johnny Cohen described the second half performance as "one to forget" as the GB team very nearly surrendered a four-goal lead.
However it was not total doom and gloom and the spectators who had come to see some fine technical displays and spectacular goals did not leave disappointed.
GB captain Motti Colman opened the scoring on 12 minutes with an absolute screamer following a perfectly executed volleyed pass from Sam Arghebant.
Maccabi's lead was doubled when Lee Bibring found his scoring boots, tapping in at the far post in a classically executed futsal goal six minutes before the interval.
Technical coach James Rossa's half time instructions were to allow the opposition the half and play on the break. All was going well when Adam Klein netted his first goal on his debut at Crystal Palace with a sweetly struck curling left footer two minutes in to the second period. A rout seemed on the cards when Dan Sugarman netted from close range four minutes later.
However the GB team started to relax and were guilty of some serious defensive non-concentration. West London pulled the score back to 4-2 before Arghebant scored, not for the first time at this venue, an incredible driven volley form well within his own half. Maccabi GB now lead 5-2 with six minutes to go.
One would think that Maccabi's spirits would have been lifted by parity being restored. However this was not the case as West London pressed again and teased and tormented the GB defence in to mistake after mistake.
GB keeper Danny Berliner was kept busy, producing some fine saves but West London managed to bring the score back to 5-3 with three still minutes to play.
Arghebant then won his team a penalty. Knowing that the clock was ticking the Lions hitman held the ball up intelligently in the opposition's corner of the pitch before being pulled to the ground. Up stepped Jon Green to blast GB into a 6-3 lead from the spot with only two minutes to play.
West London's never say die spirit saw them score a well-deserved fourth goal. However this was not enough and Maccabi GB crept home 6-4 winners on the night.
A reflective GB Futsal boss Cohen commented: "After going in to an accomplished 4-0 lead some very sloppy defending let us down and had the opposition had a larger squad or had there been another five minutes to play we could have well been leaving here as losers.
"We are currently going through a schedule of four games in eight days which is great preparation for Vienna where we will be playing every day.
"I suppose sometimes you have to take victories whatever the performance."