Bears Play Out Of Their Skins

Yoni Weichselbaum - Sunday 9th 2008f November 2008

MSPFL U9
Hendon Hawks Bears 4 HIS B Blue 0
Hendon Hawks Bears 5 HIS B Blue 1
Sunday, 9 November, 2008

Hendon Hawks Bears went into Sunday's game against HIS Blue on the back of some mixed results.

The Bears however, showed great character from the start of the double-header against HIS Blue as the first game saw them finish triumphant, securing a 4-0 victory, before romping home to a 5-1 win in the second of the double header at Barnet Playing Fields.

Hendon Hawks Bears began the first game the stronger as they began to dictate the course of the game with some attacking football down either flank before HIS Blue threatened to open the scoring within three minutes of play. Yaakov Judah, however, ensured that HIS Blue did not break the deadlock with superb goalkeeping.

The Bears did not surrender, with Jamie Rosen proving his worth down the right flank, causing, HIS Blue many problems as he got in behind their defence. He then crossed the ball into the box for Joel Gotttlieb to run onto, sliding the ball beyond the HIS Blue goalkeeper, to put the Hawks in front.

HIS Blue did not give up and continued to threaten the Hawks goal. In response to the HIS Blue pressure, Bears right midfielder, Jamie Rosen won the ball on the right flank before playing the ball to George Aminoff on the edge of the HIS Blue penalty area, where he struck a looping shot over the HIS Blue defence and goalkeeper to rattle the roof of the net and to extend the Bears lead to two.

The Hawks went into the break at half time with the 2-0 lead still intact, thanks to marvelous goalkeeping by Yaacov Judah.

The second half continued from where the first half left off, with both teams threatening to score. Hendon Hawks' dominance prevailed as they scored a third midway through the second half as a poor goal kick from the HIS Blue goalkeeper was intercepted by Shmuli Miller. He controlled the ball and drove it into the bottom corner.

The Hawks Bears then added a fourth with five minutes remaining as George Aminoff ran in at the back post unmarked, to poach the ball into the goal and secure a brace for himself and victory for the Bears. It was however, a nervy finish to what was a fantastic game, as HIS Blue continued to apply pressure to the Hawks defence which remained resilient to the end.

The Hawks went into the second game with a sense of real belief. Joel Gottlieb scrambled the loose ball into the back of the net after the HIS Blue goalkeeper fumbled a strike from Shmuli Miller. HIS Blue replied almost immediately with Max Misrashi slotting the ball past Yaacov Judah to equalise. The first half then drew to a close with the scores level.

George Aminoff then instigated the Hawks revival as he ran off the ball to apply the finishing touch to a well worked move, involving Jonathan Korn and Jamie Rosen exchanging passes to assist George Aminoff. Substitute Joel Gottlieb then made a further impact on the game in left midfield as he ran in from the left to strike the ball into the right bottom corner, beyond the reach of the H.I.S goalkeeper.

The Hawks continued to romp home to victory with a dominating second half performance. Jonathan Korn ran through the HIS Blue defence to receive a through ball from Shmuli Miller which he latched onto to score the Hawks fourth. This then provoked Shmuli Miller to wade in on the action. He struck the ball from the edge of the HIS Blue penalty area beyond the goalkeeper for the fifth and final goal of the game to secure a 5-1 triumph for a Bears team that really played out of their skins.