Gold leads Lions Vets to victory over Globe Rangers

Playing on one of the largest pitches seen at Masters level, it was the home team that took an early lead. After five minutes, confusion at the back withPaul  Lenchner and Alex Norman got into a muddle and a wayward pass made its way across the penalty area and gifted to the unmarked Rangers left winger who was given the simplest task of slotting the ball into an unguarded goal.

Shellshocked, this seemed to quickly focus the minds of the Lions boys to retain the ball better and make allowances for a very quick and now wet playing surface.

The visitors were not behind for too long. Alex Levack and Sam McCarthy started to impose themselves on this game and after good work from Brad Lazarus, who released Gold down the left, the left-sided attacker cut in and dinked a calmly taken finish over the onrushing keeper to level the scores.

Ten minutes later and the Lions had turned the game completely on its head, Gold making the most of a more than hopeful cross field pass from Levack, chasing down the Rangers keeper, who made a complete hash of his clearance, smashing the ball against Gold, who had the easiest of tasks of walking the ball into an open goal.

By now the Lions were really growing into the game, Lazarus had a long-range effort drilled straight at the goalkeeper, and Wagman had a header that went just over.

At the other end, the Lions defence looked to be growing in confidence, and did well to limit any threats on their goal to long range efforts.

2-1 became 3-1 five minutes before the break, a composed Hadley Silver chipping the keeper for his first goal of the season after being put through by Kleinman.

After the break the Lions had to endure some heavy pressure, Rangers forcing corner after corner, and after a rushed clearance from Lee, the ball fell to the Rangers left-back whose ambitious cross into the box somehow managed to find its way over the Lions keeper and into the net.

The pressure was lifted once more when Gold got his hat-trick. Good work from Wagman beating his man and getting to the byline to centre to Gold who after seeing his first shot saved by the home keeper, was the most alert to the rebound bundling the ball over the line despite the desperate lunges of the Rangers defender and keeper.

Rangers now switched to four up top, and their tricky pacy right winger was real threat, getting in behind the Lions back a few times before being brought down by debutant Richard Slater in the box which saw the referee giving the home side a penalty. However, Lee, more than making up for his earlier error with a penalty save diving to his right and then reacting quickly to get himself up and bravely block the rebound.

Gold could have and should have had a fourth for himself after Dan Hakimi released Slater down the channel who’s deep cross was headed wide by the unmarked Gold.

The closing stages of the game were well managed by the visiting side, taking the sting out of the game and running down the clock with some clever and patient possession football.

Two wins on the spin for this newly formed SAL side, and the work rate, the ability to stick together roll up the sleeves, win ugly and grind out three points will be pleasing for the management after this game.

LIONS: Brad Lee, Ranaan Firmin, Matt Kleinman, Paul Lenchner, Alex Norman, Sam McCarthy, Alex Levack, Hadley Silver, Mark Wagman, , Gideon Gold, Bradley Lazarus. Subs: Danny Hakimi, Richard Slater, Adam Hakimi