Super-sub Silva wounds Lions
FOOTBALL JONNY Rose insists Maccabi Manchester 2nd will continue to enjoy the role of underdogs after they sent Lions Blue out of the competition.
A second-half header from Gabe Silva was enough to send Manchester into the last four of the Jewish FA Cup, where they will meet the winners of the Haroldeans or Redbridge A. The decisive moment of a well-contested tie came on 75 minutes when supersub Silva leap highest to plant a towering header into the net following a long-throw from Adam Herman.
Jubilant Manchester joint-manager Jonny Rose commented: “It was a typical Peter Morrison Trophy tie, very tight and I felt that one goal was always going to settle it.
“Lions are a big, strong and physical team who surprised us. So the message to the boys was stay in the game and our superior fitness was an important factor. The rotation of the squad during the second half definitely won us the game.”
Looking ahead to the semi-finals, Rose commented: “We’ve already exceeded expectations in reaching the last four. We’re not expected to win so are quite relaxed about who we get.”
Lions boss Sam Marchant compared the match to “something you’d associate more with the FA Cup in the 1980s”. He was critical of the condition of Manchester’s pitch and remarked: “We knew what to expect but we found it difficult to play our football. I am not usually one to make excuses, but there were several large holes filled with sand, other terrible areas, and a generally heavy pitch. Every pass hit a bobble and strange bounces made it hard to play.
“It’s always a shame to lose a game in such a manner, and the game was particularly scrappy, but this is football and sometimes you just have to accept the situation and move on.
“Had the tie been played at Rowley Lane, I believe there would have been a different outcome. We are disappointed because we felt we had a chance of going further in the competition.”