Cup exit for proud Lions
London Lions manager Tony Gold expressed pride after his team bowed out of the FA Cup at the first qualifying round stage.
A 4-2 defeat at home to AFC Dunstable left Gold to reflect on what might have been in a tie they were leading in.
Gold said: “I’m immensely proud of the players and I hope they are too. They have etched a little bit of history in being the first all-Jewish side to compete in the FA Cup and that is something to look back on with enormous satisfaction.”
The Lions forged ahead when an excellent passing move was rounded off by Josh Kennet.
Dunstable turned the match on its head with two quickfire goals, but within minutes of his introduction, Lions super-sub Sam Sloma drew the hosts level with a superb individual effort.
Ho we v e r, t h e Dunstable front two capitalised on two defensive errors to condemn the Lions to their first defeat of the season. “We didn’t do ourselves justice defensivelywhichisagreatshame,” said Gold. “It was frustrating because we have defended very well so far this season, but the oldadageistrue-against bettersidesmistakes, more often than not, are punished. Today we just make too many individual mistakes.
“But these are the sides we want to be playing week in and week out, continuously testing ourselves, so we know what we have to do moving forward if we want to realise that dream.”
“Isaidbeforethegamewewillfindouta lot about ourselves and we certainly did.” Lions: Cenolli, Helman, Myeroff, Sacks, Barnes, C. Ellis, Stanton (sub: Sloma), Glynne, Kennet, Bern (sub: B. Ellis), Bolle