It’s been a huge fortnight for Maccabi Hockey Club, with three senior teams featuring in finals action. The Masters (45+) finished their campaign with a commanding 6–1 Grand Final win over Melbourne High School Old Boys. The Women’s Metro 1 East side made history by reaching just the second finals series for Maccabi women since 2017, bowing out in a narrow 2–1 elimination semi-final against Camberwell. And the Men’s Metro team are still in the hunt, set to face Old Melbourne in their Grand Final this Sunday at Hawthorn Melbourne Hockey Centre.

Maccabi Masters (45+) win Grand Final 6 -1 over Melbourne High School Old Boys

No finals are easy, nerves set in and the pressure is on well before the game starts. Maccabi Masters Over 45’s had a very good season with 12 wins, 2 draws and 1 loss. That loss happened to be the team we played in the Grand Final.

To get into the Grand Final last week’s preliminary final went down to penalties and Goalkeeper Steve Lewis had an amazing game and got the team through.

Maccabi had a number of players sidelined with injuries and a couple of players under an injury cloud even before the game began. Maccabi nerves settled quickly they controlled the ball and when the opposition had the run of play Maccabi put pressure on the ball handler. The defensive effort throughout the game was exceptional, David Birnbaum, Darren Krawitz, Gary Beville, Danny Westheimer and Harley Cohen all combined to close down numerous attacks and repel the ball into our forward line.

Darren Gorelick ran hard to assist the defensive effort on Melbourne High’s key player and that effort paid off throughout the game.

The first Goal came in the 10^th minute when Damien Suss scored off a short corner, Maccabi kept the pressure up and accurate passing combined with pressure earnt another short corner where David Birnbaum stepped up and with a one two pass put the ball past the keeper. Melbourne High piled on the pressure but Maccabi’s defence held up and brilliant tackling and pressure turned over the ball to Maccabi’s advantage. Our left side of the field was working well with David Rosner on Left wing and Darren Gorellick combining well in defence and offence.

Birnbaum suffered a slight calf injury and came from the field and changes to the team structure were made to cover him.

Late in the first half another short corner was earned by Peter Rubinstein and Wayne Levy stepped up, the ball was pushed out stopped by Suss and rocketed in by Wayne levy to the right post.

3 – 0 at half time. Injured captain Daniel Grunfeld reminded the players not to be too complacent with the lead, a continued effort was needed and the players came out from the break focused and with an eye on the flag.

Not soon after the resumption of play Suss injured his hamstring and the bench was activated Birnbaum came back on and newbies Rick Leventer and Angus Montgomery were thrust into the game with fresh legs and with great effect a defensive turnover was produced by Beville passed down the right wing to Rubinstein to Levy who bobbled the ball into the circle where Montgomery under pressure quickly passed it to Leventer and he slotted it past the keeper.

Melbourne High responded with pressure and the game was on the line when they earned a short corner that they converted, 4 – 1 with 17 minutes to go. Maccabi rallied and did not drop their effort two more excellent goals were scored in the field of player one from Levy with excellent work with Cohen and Levy passing a number of players down the central corridor ball was passed to Levy and slotted inside the left post for his second of the night.

The last goal was a pearler with Levy and Gorelick combining to close out the game and seal the win, Gorelick scored and in a free flowing move. A whole team effort and credit to all the players who pushed through injury to win the club another Premiership.

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