Bookman Double Knocks Out Hendon A
Cyril Anekstein Cup Semi-Final
Chigwell B 2 Hendon A 1
Sunday, 23 March, 2008
With the weather fluctuating between snow flurries, wind and rain, we were never going to be treated to a footballing spectacle and the game was only just passed to take place.
Hendon, going into the game on the back of 17 unbeaten games in both league and cup competitions, were always favourites going into the tie – and rightly so, though Chigwell produced a display of pure grit and determination, coupled with no fair amount of skill too and they can feel they deserved to progress.
They were helped by the fact that they went ahead in just the fourth minute when Bookman, who showed his class throughout the 90 minutes whipped in a stunning 20-yard strike, curling it past the diving Danny Berliner in the Hendon goal to give them a terrific start.
That gave them something to hold onto, though almost straight in the aftermath of being a goal to the good, felt the Hendon backlash as the reigning premier division champions began to exert pressure.
Greg Corin was the first to try his luck; his long-range strike forcing Ben Rosenthal in the Chigwell goal into a smart save, with Alex Rosenthal seeing his shot from the rebound saved by the outstretched leg of Rosenthal. From the resulting corner, Paul Bentley headed against the bar.
On a rare foray forward, Bookman nearly doubled his tally though from a melee in the box, his shot on the stretch struck the outside of the near post. However, Hendon persisted and having seen a mixture of near-misses and Rosenthal stops, drew back on level terms just past the quarter-hour mark when Ari Last’s corner was headed in by Avidan Last.
Hendon now seemed to be in the ascendancy; with the possession they enjoyed being testament to that fact. They had a glorious chance to go in front from the penalty spot with just over five minutes of the half remaining when Elliot Gold handled a shot in his penalty box. Josh Bentley stepped up, saw Rosenthal save the shot, and although he tapped in the rebound, referee Martin De La Fuente ruled it out for encroachment of play.
Had it have counted, you feel Hendon may well have gone on to take control of the tie. As it was it didn’t and the sides went in level at the break.
They weren’t though level for long. Just as had been the case with the start of the first half, so Bookman found the back of the net again early in the second. A vital slip from a Hendon defender allowed Bookman a vital advantage and as he sprinted clear, he kept his composure to nonchalantly clip the ball over Berliner for another classy finish.
Having it all to do again, Hendon piled forward though with every Chigwell player giving 110%, the Hammers found it tough going to get behind the Chigwell defence and really test Rosenthal.
Motti Korman saw an angled drive whistle just over the bar, though as they became more desperate in their need to find an equaliser found themselves more and more susceptible on the break. On two separate occasions, Chigwell fashioned out chances for Hayden Smith though both times with just Berliner to beat, he failed to get his shot on target.
A hectic last five minutes saw Hendon throw everything in trying to take the tie to extra-time – one goalmouth scramble seeing Chigwell clear the ball off their line twice in the space of seconds, though their defence couldn’t be penetrated leaving them to celebrate the most famous of victories and a final against LML A to saviour next month.
Chigwell B:
Ben Rosenthal 7, Grant Pormeroi 8, Lee Ballen 7, Danny Hakimi 7, Darren Ezekiel 8, Elliot Gold 7, Jon Pittal 7, Hayden Smith 7, Richard Klein 8, Simon Green 7, Greg Bookman 8
Hendon A:
Danny Berliner 7, Ben Konn 6, Benji Wreschner 6, Alex Rosenthal 6, Martin Schmulovich 7, Paul Bentley 7, Josh Bentley 6, Ari Last 7, Motti Korman 6, Greg Corin 7, Avidan Last 6
Mensch-of-the-Match:
Greg Bookman
