First blood
Sollosi plays starring role as Red bridge hand champions an opening day defeat
FOOTBALL JON Jacobs described Sam Sollosi as a football genius after Redbridge started the season in style, with a thrilling 3-2 victory over defending champions North London Raiders.
Sollosi, who won the MGBSFL’s Young Player of the Year accolade in June, continued where he left off as he left NLR chasing shadows with a twinkle-toed run setting up James Berkley to fire home the winner.
The east Londoners had suffered a set-back before kick-off when experienced anchorman Adam Hakimi failed a last-minute fitness test.
Although Sollosi, his brother Nathan and Berkley dominated the midfield exchanges, it was NLR who forged ahead when Matt Stock finished smartly past Jay Jaffa.
RJC hauled themselves level 10 minutes later with a superb effort from Russell Goldstein, and Berkley put them in the ascendancy with a bullet header following a looping corner from Sam Sollosi.
Not to be outdone, Player of the Year Jordan Marks made it 2-2 with a fine finish for NLR but it was Sam Sollosi who produced the matchdefining moment. His quick feet took him past players, allowing the industrious Berkley a simple finish.
Jacobs later described the build-up as “a moment of pure gold”. He said: “There’s no doubt that Redbridge deserved the win and although an open game, the win could have been more emphatic.”
Daniel Shafron reflected on his first competitive match as NLR boss with disappointment. “We took too long to settle into the game and against a good team like Redbridge, the smallest amount of sloppiness is costly,” he said. “The two goals we conceded in the first half were through a lack of concentration and could have been prevented. “We found more rhythm in the second half, had good possession but couldn’t turn our chances into goals. At 2-2 it could have gone either way but Sam Sollosi, who was mesmerising throughout, produced a magical moment against the run of play which knocked us.
“Overall we simply weren’t good enough. We lost the ball too easily and lacked precision and fluidity. Our decision-making also needed to be better.
“We can’t expect to play well for patches against top sides and come away with a result. The focus and work rate needs to be there until the final whistle.”
But he is promising a better performance against Hendon United on Sunday. “I am disappointed but I know we have the character and mentality to bounce back and will use this disappointment as motivation moving forward.”
Sam Rank reflected on “a great start for Redbridge” after the club’s B- team beat Hendon United B in Division One.
Strikes from Ben Chernoff (2), Anthony Cope and Adam Goldman secured the points, with Adam Ellis and James Neidle replying.
Rank remarked: “I am expecting a harder task against Oakwood B this weekend when we will have to put in a complete performance to win the match.”