It was another of those Sundays - a cocktail of pleasure and frustration finished off with copious amounts of alcohol.
The morning started brightly as we made another fast start. Unlike previous weeks, however, we made the most of it and opened the scoring after 10 minutes when, following some good ball retention involving Matt Lawrence and Ian Ward, the ball was knocked over the top of their defence for Chris Mearing to sprint clear and square for Martin Millins to tap home. The lead was extended on 33 minutes when Danny McGahan put Mearing through for a one on one which he calmly finished by chipping the keeper.
At half time we expressed the need to continue in the same manner but beware of the threat posed on the break and that the game would be difficult if we let them back in. The words were obviously noted as within two minutes of the restart a great cross shot from Saturday star Dan Hesmer reduced the deficit. Worse followed on 65 minutes when Mark Philpott was allowed to home in on goal and unleash another unstoppable shot from outside the box. Fortunately we were able to raise our game thereafter and the introduction of Peter Bukovec from the bench again provided some positive inspiration. On 82 minutes we managed to get our nose back in front (never a problem with Coxon in the team) when Bukovec turned the full back inside out before crossing for Mearing to nod home at the far post. The game was killed off two minutes later when Marc Wood broke through the defence before being Saged. Fortunately the ball broke to Bukovec who tapped in for the fourth otherwise it would have been a penalty and red for the former Pembury player. The fifth was scored in the final minute when Mearing was pulled back when through and Ian Ward converted the penalty. The decision as to why Mearing didn't take it to complete his hat-trick was baffling until it was explained after that Mearing didn't fancy buying a jug and Wardy had threatened him with detention if he didn't give him the ball (both offences were deemed worthy of fines after the game).
In the end a comfortable win from a game that we had been in control of for the greater part. To be fair they had created very little except for the two great shots that pulled them back into the game and, that twenty minutes apart, the score was probably a fair reflection of the game.
Drinking after the game to celebrate the Bears birthday was equally enduring topped off with a visit from another of the Bears celebrity friends Jimmy Starbucks (nice one Millsy).
Team:
L.Baker
A.Lindsey
S. Hunter
N. Coxon
I.Ward
M.Wood
M.Lawrence
M. Lester
D. McGahan
M. Millins
C. Mearing
Subs:
M. Boorman (for Millins)
P. Bukovec (for Lester)
G. Manser (for Hunter)