L4 The Thorn In Kings Side

Kingsthorne pushed us right to the end in a pulsating game that ended with late drama. The line up saw us revert back to a more attacking 4-3-3 with Paddy Clegg and Kaleb Sweeney deployed in the double 8 positions behind a front 3 of Sibanda, Hacking & McDonald who was switched the the wide right position. It proved to work dividends as it allowed our number 15 to had a real impact on the game with 3 assists and a goal. The opener a superb header from Charlie Hacking on 12 minutes from a Beckham esque cross on the right. The delivery was pinpoint and finished off some great link up play involving Samson Aboiro and McDonald. We should have extended our lead with Hacking missing 3 chances he'd normally have nestled in the back of the net. Two of those chances were well saved from their keeper so credit has to be given there. Gift Sibanda and Sam O'Neill also saw headers miss the target before O'Neill was clearly pushed in the back when attempting to attack a corner. The referee didn't want to know however and dismissed our appeals. The visitors equalised in the 31st minute when Joe Wilson was beaten at his near post and that was the only blot on an otherwise dominated first half.

Kaleb Sweeney who felt a slight thigh strain was replaced at half time by Treasure Asuquo who re-energised us in midfield and let the shackles off Clegg who begin to influence the game and lead by example. 6 minutes into the half however Ben Devlin was outmuscled off the ball and the resulting cross was dispatched brilliantly to put Kingsthorne 2-1 in front. The skipper struck a well hit shot from a McDonald set to level things up for his 3rd of the season and it was the return of Charlie Hacking who gave us that focal point up top that restored our lead finishing cooley from another McDonald assist. Our 4th was slightly fortunate but was deserving for the build up play in itself. Clegg sent an arrowed pass into the path of McDonald who's cross appeared to hit a divot which the keeper misjudged. The ball spun over his head and into the empty net to put us 4-2 ahead with 18 minutes remaining. Kingsthorne refused to be beaten however and kept applying the pressure and when Sam O'Neill was sin-binned (wrongly) with 2 minutes remaining it left us defending a corner without our most dominant defender in the air. The corner was headed home leaving our nerves all over the place for the remaining minute. The sound of the final whistle was welcome relief as the boys knew how much of a big 3 points that was in the charge for the title. Up next will be a physical Atletico side who will still be determined to still make a fight of the title in 7 days time.