Young Lions Bow Out Of Challenge Cup
Watford Friendly League U18 Challenge Cup Semi Final
LML 1 Harvesters North 3
Sunday, 27 April, 2008
Lions started the game well, with purpose and urgency in their play but they were unable to breach the solid Harvesters rearguard in the early stages. The Lions back four also looked impressive in the games opening, with neither side able to carve out any clear cut chances.
Both sides had spells of good possession at various stages of the first period with the visitors looking to put the Lions back four under pressure with long high balls into the channels, which for the most part, they dealt with well. Despite having a lot of the possession, Lions just seemed to lack that cutting edge in the final third, which makes all the difference between winning and losing at all levels of the game.
The away side were first to break the deadlock, just five minutes from half time, via the penalty spot after Richard Kanolik had felled the Harvesters striker inside the area, leaving the referee no option but to award the spot kick. After all their hard work in the opening 40 minutes it would have been easy for the Lions boys to lose heart but to their credit they responded well with a couple of chances of their own, David Elf getting forward well and unlucky not to finish when well placed.
Going in 1-0 down at the break, the Lions knew that they would have to create more goal scoring opportunities if they were to have any chance of facing London Road in the final. Again, Lions started brightly and were on top for the beginning of the second half, with good spells of continued pressure. They didnt have to wait long before their rewards came to fruition as top scorer Jason Goldstein latched onto a marvellous Joel Ross through ball, before expertly heading the ball over the onrushing Harvesters custodian, to level the scores and put the home side right back into the contest.
This seemed to spark a bit of life into the visitors as they went on the ascendancy with a good spell of their own, culminating in Lions conceding for the second time of the morning after 70 minutes. The goal itself was a strike of high quality, with LSL in the Lions goal only able to watch as it rifled into the top right hand corner of the net but Lions will be disappointed to have given the Harvesters midfield so much time and space in such a dangerous area.
Lions then went for broke, going three at the back and the introduction of David Dobrin provided some much needed impetus into the side for the remainder of the match. Dobrin made an immediate impact, scurrying past his marker with ease, before crossing the ball across the face of the goal, only to be cleared from danger by the Harvesters defender. The change in formation did however leave the Lions slightly undermanned in defensive areas and they were made to pay for this late on, as another long ball forward, allowed the Harvesters striker to get beyond Newman and lob the oncoming LSL to kill the game off and ensure Harvesters remained in contention for the treble, booking a place in their third final this year. Lions were unable to reduce the deficit by grabbing a consolation and will now only have second place to contend for, with only two games remaining of the season.
Mensch-of-the-Match:
Jason Goldstein- industrious display in the middle of the park and another well taken goal.
Team:
Laban Scott-Libby, David Cohen, Josh Newman, Richard Kanolik, Matthew Cohen (Daniel Green 45), Ben Weinberg (Jeremy Julius 40), Jason Goldstein, Scott Kay (captain), David Elf (David Dobrin 70), Daniel Orgel, Joel Ross.
Sub not used: Myles Anderson.
