MGBSFL PREMIER DIVISION
HENDON UTD SC A 0 FAITHFOLD A 1
Zuriel Solomon insists Faithfold will not get carried away after a 90th-minute winner from Johnny Haik saw them condemn Hendon to their first defeat in over a year as last season's champions suffered defeat in their first match at their new home.
Makeshift centre back Ben Lewis and former Player of the Year Dan Howard ensured there was no way through for Hendon, with Sam Reeves a tower of strength in the middle of the park on a day of frustration for the Reds.
Delighted Faithfold boss Zuriel Solomon told JC Sport: "Today was all about our belief and desire with a patch work squad of 12, with six boys away or injured the boys were immense.
"Today we believed we could win and we matched Hendon all game and I thought we got our reward.
"We won't get carried away - this was just a win in another long season."
Hendon manager David Garbacz told JC Sport: "The bitter taste of defeat has lingered long in the mouth this Sunday afternoon, and for once my wife's left over chicken soup has not tasted good. The truth is it had to happen some time - records are there to be broken and we are all more disappointed with the manner and timing of the defeat today and the disappointing performance in general.
"I'm sure Zuriel and the Faithfold boys will admit this was the ultimate smash and grab raid after they were under the cosh for most of the game and were struggling for fitness. They would have been delighted with a point but they did show more desire than us today and we were too complacent - we should have settled for 0-0 on a day when things simply were not clicking, but we went too gung-ho and were caught out with the ultimate sucker punch in the 93rd minute.
"I must take personal responsibility for that but Faithfold did defend brilliantly and made it extremely difficult for us. We've had our fair share of good luck during this amazing run so I suppose we were due a bad slice. A draw would have been a fair result but that would have been the most we deserved today - we were off the pace - our passing was poor and we were lacking inspiration.
"This will give us a kick up the backside though - make no mistake about that - we will come back stronger and more determined than ever not to make losing a habit and we will be there or thereabouts in May I promise you that. We all have a lot to reflect on in Shul over the next week and I'm sure we'll regain our inspiration then."
