CHC 2's skipper hits 4

Report by Scott Gibbons

After a pair of defeats last week, the 3’s welcomed the 2’s in the league, with the ‘hosts’ bottom and the ‘visitors’ flying high in second.

The 3’s started brightly with Ben Lyon, 3’s man-of-the-match Jonny Rowtcliff and Will McCaffery pulling the strings in the midfield. Alex Haworth, Reuben Crawford and later, George Avis looked to apply pressure through the wings and Scott Mansfield caused some problems as the lone striker.
If it wasn’t for good defending for the 2’s from Ian Berry, Priyesh Patel and keeper, Lewis Cordingley then the 3’s would likely have taken the lead. Haworth saw green for a dangerous challenge, but it didn’t affect the 3’s rhythm.

The 2’s looked ragged and struggled to link up, in stark contrast to their opposition. Things also got worse with Hammad Jalal being hampered by injury throughout. However it was the 2’s who undeservedly went in ahead at the break.

A short corner for the last play of the half was kept alive well by Nick Bennett, who drilled the ball in for Scott Gibbons to expertly deflect home passed keeper Gary Thornton.

The 2’s knew they were lucky to be ahead and needed to trouble the opposition further in the second period. They came out better with a new shape for the second half. The back four of Indy Saraw, Bennett, Berry and Patel looked more solid, with Karl Bass, Matt Park, Jay Tee Carter and Man of the match Liam Mulcahy having more influence on the pace of the game.

Up front the movement of Gibbons, James Fuller and Rob Payne caused problems for the solid 3’s defence of Jason Carter, Simon Teale, Mattie Fish, Alex Foxcroft and Aftab Sheikh.

Soon pressure turned into goals. Bass’ mazy dribble drawing in defenders, before he dropped the ball back for Gibbons, who readjusted perfectly to sweep an unstoppable reverse in off the far post.

They weren’t done there, skipper Gibbons running onto Bass’ sumptuous through ball before clinically dispatching beyond the keeper for his and the 2’s third of the game.

Fuller almost grabbed another, sweeping Gibbons’ cross goal wards, but Thornton got down well to turn it round the post.
A forth did come though, Payne’s effort from a short corner deflected high, where Gibbons pulled it out of the sky and in at the far post.

The 3’s almost had a consolation late on but Mansfield’s effort was rightly ruled out for hitting his body.

The result sees the 2’s solidify their second place in the league and the 3’s remain bottom; but following their excellent performance today they should take some hope into their remaining fixtures.

3’s squad: Thornton, J Carter, Teale, Foxcroft, Fish, Sheikh, Avis, Rowtcliff, Lyon, McCaffery, Haworth, Crawford, Mansfield

2’s squad: Gibbons, Cordingley, Berry, Patel, Saraw, Bennett, Bass, JT Carter, Mulcahy, Jalal, Park, Fuller, Payne