Defensive Solidity Allows Forwards To Thrive Vegas Style

<p>Magical Vegas recorded a resounding 5-0 victory over a talented but disorganised Arya FC on Thursday night.

<p>Sticking with the 4-4-1-1 formation that had worked so well in the first half in their previous game, Vegas picked holes at will in an Arya FC side that held a defensive line too high and too wide. Profligacy in front of goal meant that chances were not taken when they presented themselves until some neat passing released Mark Maher down the right hand channel who squared for Mike Appiah to tap in at the far post to make it 1-0. A carbon copy goal, again supplied by Maher, was tapped in by Paul 'Trigz' Reid to put them 2 up after just 20 minutes.

<p>Defensively Vegas were flawless. Returning CB Tarik Allag swept up and bangerous balls in behind while full backs Nick Loblack and Shane McNamara, in particular Loblack, played some incisive passes that tormented the Arya backline. It was Loblack who made a overlapping run forward and squared for Patrick Moore Jones who's lifted effort over the goalie crept in off the post to make it 3-0. Other than a rather strange attempt from Maher on a free-kick in the 1st half, Vegas' plans went exactly how they would have hoped and they came in at half time happy and with the instruction of "more of the same".

<p>They did start the 2nd half tenatively but Hussein Hussein, who had a decent effort in the first half go wide, redeemed himself with a brilliant piroeutte recieving a Trigz cross and slamming the ball into the bottom corner to put the game beyond doubt. Arya were now resorting to long range efforts in desperate attempts to score but they found goalie Matthew Summers in brilliant form and he was equal to everything they tried and kept a deserved clean sheet.

<p>Vegas had another boost when new signing Ricardo scored within 5 minutes into his debut after intercepting a pass and cooly sliding the ball under the onrushing goalie. Vegas were rampant and chances where missed, some from just a few yards out, that meant the score wasn't even higher. If they can play at the same level again on Tuesday night against a more resolute Regent Rovers side they will surely end the year with back-to-back wins in the league and looking upward rather than downward.

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