| 2019 and 2020 |
| Temple Fortune's First Team |
| MGBSFL 8-a-side and 7-a-side Trophy competitions |
This article features two small-sided competitions in successive years which saw Temple Fortune suffer heart-ache in both finals, narrowly being pipped in the last seconds of one and on penalties in the other – after missing a vital kick to win the match. The Club was cruelly denied success twice by the narrowest of margins against opposition fielding players in higher MGBSFL divisions. For Fortune manager Simon Linden, the final defeat in December 2020 was his fourth runners-up spot in total. We look at both cup competitions to mark two fine achievements worthy of inclusion in this 'Best Of' series.
SO CLOSE AS LAST MINUTE WINNER DENIES FORTUNE THE DAVID WOLFF TROPHY
Temple Fortune were one of 16 teams taking part in the inaugural 8-a-side David Wolff Trophy run by the MGBSFL at The Hive on Sunday 1st September 2019. The Yellows did exceedingly well to make the Final of the main tournament, having initially qualified as group winners and then winners of two elimination ties.
In the group stage, Fortune beat Scrabble 1–0 thanks to Benji Gourgey's winner before seeing off FCNL – an old MSFL team from several years ago making a guest return to competitive football – by 2–1, Jacob Kalms and Danny Sherman scoring. In the third fixture, Fortune help Division 1 newcomers Brook Farm Rovers to a goalless draw, but took the points based on the handicap system.
So Fortune qualified for the quarter-final as group winners on 9 points and had to play Premier Division side Oakwood. A late goal by the favoured team was not enough to take them through as the Yellows progressed, again by the handicap system in place. In the semi-final, a strong Maccabi Lions Masters team were the opposition but Danny Sherman's goal helped take the tie to a 2–2 draw based on the handicap system. In the shoot-out, Fortune won 3-1 to reach the David Wolff Trophy Final.
Here they played North London Raiders from Division 1 who had to win by two clear goals to take the trophy. Fortune defended gallantly and another excellent Sherman strike gave Raiders a mammoth task in the closing minutes. Perhaps fatigue set in as the team in orange netted two scrappy goals with the clock ticking down. And in the final minute, with Fortune poised to win on the handicap system, Raiders forced the ball into the net for a last gasp winner. The final whistle sounded after the kick-off and Fortune had ended the tournament as runners-up.
Said manager Simon Linden: "I'm very proud of the team for an excellent effort this morning. We lost Gab Stone early to injury and we did not have a regular goalkeeper yet everyone played their part superbly. The boys gave everything and knocked out Oakwood and Maccabi Lions on the way to the Final. We were so close to a first-ever knock-out cup win for the club. Yes, it was sickening to lose in the last few seconds but overall it was a great run-out for all the lads and I'm very proud of them."
Results: Group – v Scrabble, won 1–0, v FCNL, won 2–1, v Brook Farm Rovers, won 1-–0*. Quarter-final – v Oakwood, won 2–1*. Semi-final – v Maccabi Lions Masters, drew 2–2* (won 3–1 on penalties). Final – v North London Raiders, lost 2–3* (*Handicap system applying).
Above: David Wolff, MGBSFL Charman, with the MGBSFL David Wolff 8-a-side Trophy
PENALTY DRAMA HEART-ACHE FOR TEMPLE FORTUNE
Again so close… the Masters Sevens Trophy Final on Thursday 17th December brought a narrow 5-4 defeat on penalties against Faithfold Blue after a tightly fought 2-2 draw at Rowley Lane. It was Simon Linden's fourth second-placed finish during his managerial career at the Club, following on from being runners-up in the MGBSFL Second Division (2016/17), the Barry Goldstein Trophy (2017/18) and the MGBSFL David Wolff 8-a-side Trophy (2019/20).
The Final, played as 35 minutes each way, was the culmination of the 7-a-side league season which started in early September. Faithford went ahead after 20 minutes but four minutes later Danny Sherman fired home the equaliser. And just a few minutes later, he turned the game on its head when he finished a brilliant move for 2-1, the half-time score. With Fortune defending very well, Faithfold mounted a lot of pressure which culminated in their second goal with 15 minutes left. Both teams had chances – the woodwork was struck at either end and the two goalkeepers made tremendous saves. Faithfold had their keeper sin-binned for five minutes for blasting the ball out of the arena but Fortune could not make the extra man pay. Danny Sherman missed a glorious chance with about seven minutes to play, shooting wide when well placed. Faithfold hit the inside of the post with a few minutes left as Fortune gallantly hung on.
And so to the tension of penalties. Jonanthan Kaye, Danny Sherman, Michael Goldberg and Nick Stern all scored impressively whilst Nick Rubin kept out Avi Garson's kick to give Fortune a 4-3 lead after four kicks. With one kick to win the trophy, Simon Cohen then had his shot saved, before Faithfold levelled the scores at 4-4. Then Conor Brand blazed wide leaving the opposition striker to net the winner under Nick Rubin. So Fortune were denied by the narrowest of margins but what a superb gutsy battling performance to keep them at 2-2 after 70 minutes. Said a disappointed Simon Linden afterwards: "It was so, so close but I'm immensely proud of everyone involved. We gave everything tonight against a very good side and deserved to win. But the lottery of penalties decided it – heads up everyone!"
Above: The Temple Fortune line-up for the Maccabi 7-a-side Trophy final. From left to right, back row: Danny Sherman, Jonathan Kaye, Nick Rubin, Nick Stern and Simon Linden (manager). Front row: Conor Brand, Simon Cohen, Alex Kaye and Aaron Diamond. Also taking part but missing in this pic was Michael Goldberg.
In the regular season, Fortune had finished in fourth place with an overall record of five wins, one draw and four losses from the 10 fixtures which included three in the semi-final group. The best win was defeating Maccabi London Lions 6–2 in the group semi. The other victories came against Chigwell Masters (5–3), Scrabble (6–3), Matzah Ballers (4–1) and Faithfold B (2–1).
Fortune started the sevens with two three-goal defeats against Maccabi London Lions, one a curtain-raising friendly. To improve enough to lose just 4–3 to the younger Lions team a few weeks later – and then to thrash them 6-2 in the play-offs – showed the togetherness and spirit of Simon's team. Everyone was predicting an all-Lions final, so to see them both off was most unexpected.
Danny Sherman was Fortune's top scorer with 17 goals, including four hat-tricks. Michael Goldberg and Jonny Kaye both scored five goals, Simon Cohen four and Aaron Diamond three. Other members of the squad included Benji Gourgey, Alex Kaye, Josh Lewis, Eshed Rahav, Nick Rubin, Sammy Samuelson, Nick Stern and Dan Vandemolen.
The competition was a welcomed distraction from the First Team's MGBSFL First Division campaign which hasn't gone too well so far. Said Nigel Kyte: "We should not underestimate the team's achievement here. I recall saying to Simon when we were on the play-off fringes: "would it better to go for the Plate competition to avoid Lions and Faithfold?" He would not have any of it and bravely wanted to take on the challenge against the top teams. I can only commend his indomitable spirit – his team have done exceedingly well to reach the Final and put in a tremendous performance worthy of winning it. They were one kick away from the Club's first knock-out Cup success – fine margins!"
Runners-up for the fourth time maybe for Simon Linden but Temple Fortune's appearance in the Maccabi Sevens Trophy Final was bordering on miraculous under the circumstances.
