It is amazing how an early goal settles the nerves. In contrast to Thursday when we played under pressure until we scored early in the second half, Sunday saw us take an early lead and the game suddenly became far more comfortable.
The goal came on fifteen minutes when Alun Evans played in an advanced Lindo whose cross in to the box was met by Dave Burren who finished well. The lead was increased five minutes later when Harps, who had come on for an injured Olly, fed in Genty who finished calmly past the advancing keeper. A rather strange third followed in the twenty second minute when a Harps effort from just inside their half saw their keeper make a hash of the ball dropping over his head and just under the bar. With the game effectively over we settled down to play some neat football but couldn’t add any more to our tally before the break.
The only negative discussion at half time centred around making sure that we didn’t slip in to bad habits as on a couple of occasions slack passing and positioning had enabled Biggin Hill to create problems of their own and force The Chimp in to several very good saves.
The second half followed pretty much the pattern of the first with us having the bulk of the possession and Biggin Hill threatening when we over stretched ourselves pushing on. Three goals were scored in a ten minute spell midway through the half to give the score line a convincing reflection. The first on sixty five when Dave got his second with a solo effort, the second five minutes later when Harps played in Alun Evans to finish one on one and the third a second for Alun on seventy five when a he finished off a Dave Burren run and cross.
So a very rewarding couple of days that has seen us move five points clear at the top. Admittedly Simla do have a game in hand but we all know what the pressure of having to win these games is like as there are no easy games at this time of the season. At worst though we know that we will go in to the final game of the season against them with the outcome of the title still down to us. At best if they drop any points before then and we beat Insulators on Sunday then the title is ours again. For the time being then our focus must only be on this next game and making sure we don’t undo the recent good work by slipping up on Sunday.
Team:
L.Baker
M.Wood
S.Hunter
A.Lindsey
I.Ward
M.Millins
G.Manser
O.Allman
L.Gent
A.Evans
D.Burren
Subs:
S.Harper
(for Allman)
S.Gray (for Gent)
M.Lawrence (for Wood)
M.Lester (DNP)