Hustlers Earn Win Over Zig Zag
JC MSFL Division Three
Hendon C 1 Zig Zag 0
Sunday, 16 November, 2008
Sunday's win, earned by Ben Russell's sixth minute strike, saw the Hustlers move to within four points of top spot - though crucially they have two games in hand on the leaders, leaving them well placed for an assault on the title.
Noe said: "I have said since the beginning of the season that I hoped to be challenging at the top of the table and we now know we are more than capable of holding our own with the top few teams of the division.
"We have only played eight games out of 20 so far, and are still to play Team A and B L'Equipe and Cricklewood, so we are in control of our own destiny. I fully believe that the group of players we have are more than capable of continuing our form and pushing very hard for the title."
Most Hendon games are guaranteed goals in them, and when they took the lead in just the sixth minute, you felt they could be on their way to grabbing another handful. Fine wing play down the right-hand side saw the ball cut back to Russell, and although it wasn't the most of enticing angles, the striker had enough guile about him to steer it past Martin Leslie in the Zig Zag goal.
Although a plethora of goals didn't ensure, it wasn't for Hendon's lack of trying with Russell and Adam Hersh in particular coming close to increasing their lead.
However, the visitors also created their own chances, while the long throw of Jonny Bluestone also proved to be a major threat to the Hendon defence over the course of the 90 minutes.
Hendon were left scratching their hands as to how they didn't double their lead when Trevor Silverman crashed a thunderous shot off the crossbar on the hour mark, though as they failed to take their chances, Zig Zag sensed they could grab a point as the game entered its final stages.
Late pressure though failed to yield any reward for the visitors, with Jonny Winton just failing to convert at the death what Zig Zag felt would have been a merited point.
Reflecting back on the game, Noe said: "I felt that we performed very well especially in the first half where we played some of our best football of the season and I was delighted with our composure on the ball as well as our passing and movement. The second half was more about keeping our shape and composure and trying to create chances where possible. Zig Zag came back at us well; but I still felt we had the better of the second half.
"We spurned a lot of chances which meant there was always the possibility that a one-goal lead would not be enough, but we held on. Psychologically on the two previous occasions where we have led by a single goal, we have conceded equalisers in the last few minutes so it was good to see the team close out the game and hold the lead and the clean sheet
Zig Zag manager Neal Cohen said: "I thought we put in a good performance, but a lack of an end product cost us something from the game. I thought we deserved more from the game and that a point would have been a fairer outcome.
"The only positives I take out of the game was that we gave Hendon their hardest game of the season, though it's not really much of a consolation."
Mensch-of-the-Match
Adam Hersh
