Blues Beat Whites In Plate Final

Jamie Rubin - Wednesday 7th 2008f May 2008


AJY U10 Plate Final
HIS Blue 3 HIS White 2
Monday, 5 May, 2008

On a perfect early summer's day the two HIS U10 teams HIS Blue and HIS White, took to the field in this eagerly awaited plate final.

The two teams having been fierce rivals for the last three years in the seve-a-side AJY league, started the game at a frenetic pace.

HIS White, lead by the skilful Chaim Korman made the early running. His opposite number, Kovi, son of the manager Brian Rubinstein, was charged with marking Korman and trying to stiffle his forward running.

The first goal came when Korman lost his marker on the right side of the field, cut inside onto his favoured left foot and squared to the nimble Ari Rogosnitzky who netted for the Whites.

The Blues levelled on eight minutes from the melee following a corner, the loose ball dropped to Rubinstein who clipped the ball over the excellent Jason Laufer in goal.

HIS Blue quickly took over the midfield with Rubinstein in the centre pulling all the strings, assisted by the eager running of Natanel Rubin who drawing his marker wide with an unselfish run, left a gap for Rubinstein to drive a unstoppable shot past Laufer for the Blues second.

Yosef Taylor added a deserved third for the Blues minutes before half time after an excellent five-player move involving, Rubinstein, Rubin, David Shatzkes and the ever improving Shruli Gluck.

The second half was a tense affair, the Blues defence was under intense pressure as the Whites searched for the two goals that would bring parity. Areyeh Klein and David Shatzkes at the heart of defence dug deep to stifle the waves of attacks, with Yosef Taylor busy protecting in front of them.

Avi Van Messel was unlucky not to make it 4-1 when the Blues counter-attacked and with only the keeper to beat, his shot inching just wide.

The pressure paid off for the Whites in the seventh minute of the second half, when the ball dropped to the feet of Jacob Millett who despatched a clean half volley into the bottom left hand corner of Shammy Klein's goal. 3-2, game on.

The remaining minutes ebbed and flowed, with a tight battle in midfield. The closest the Whites came to the precious equaliser they sought was from a corner swung over from the right hand side by Korman, the ball fell to the feet of Doron Shooter, who stabbed it goal bound with a deft touch, only for the ball to be cleared off the line by the Blues defence.

The final whistle brought joy to HIS Blue, who on balance deserved their hard fought victory. The game was played in a great spirit and was a credit to the player of both HIS teams and the club.

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