Lion FC produce a dominant second half display to outclass a battling Hanham side.
Lion FC travelled to Vicarage for this midweek fixture, looking to bounce back from a disappointing defeat against Bendix.
Lion came out of the blocks rapidly, and it wasn’t long before they took the lead. As Josh played a lofted through ball, Dan Jones reacted more quickly than the Hanham defence. His first touch off his chest looked to be a little heavy, but with the Hanham keeper rooted to his line, Dan surged onto the touch to finish confidently into the roof of the net.
A dream start for Lion became reality only minutes later, as they continued to create a flurry of chances. When Ryan Robinson found space inside the Hanham box, his quick footwork bamboozled the Hanham central defenders before he released a strike on goal. The shot looked to be trickling towards the bottom corner before the keeper saved low to his left. Once again, the Lion attackers proved sharp, with Al Moores pouncing on the rebound to double Lion’s lead.
With a two-goal advantage forged in under 10 minutes, Lion looked like running away with the contest. Hanham responded well, however, cancelling out Lion’s lead with two confident strikes.
The first came after Lion failed to clear an attack down the left flank. When the ball was played across towards the centre, the Lion clearance fell to an advancing Hanahm player whose first time finish rifled into the bottom corner. Moments later, a penetrative through ball from Hanham caught Lion flat footed. Through on goal, the Hanham striker finished confidently in the far corner, leaving the outstretched Lion keeper Ross Jones with little chance to save.
Lion continued to create chances as they fought to retake the lead. Half chances followed, with Al Moores heading over from a corner and Dan Jones shooting wide after a Ryan through ball. The latter also spurned several chances, including a well struck left-footed effort after a Dan Jones pass, parried away by the imposing Hanham keeper. With yet another chance gone begging for Robinson, perhaps it just wasn’t his day.
Another gilt-edged chance went begging before the end of the half, this time falling to reigning golden boot Jace Esof. After Josh played the ball out to Al Moores, who ran the Hanham left back ragged all half, his cross fell at the feet of Jace. With only the keeper to beat and the ball bouncing off the turf, Esof couldn’t quite connect with enough force to bury the chance.
The first half finished 2-2, with Lion amassing a catalogue of missed opportunities.
Second Half
Manager Brimble brought on Mo Rabia at half time, who immediately made his presence felt. After receiving the ball from Ryan, Mo advanced ahead of two Hanham defenders before laying the ball back to Matee. Taking a touch to set himself, Matee confidently shot into the top far-right corner. Cue exuberant celebrations from the Hungarian who ended his goal drought in impressive fashion.
Matee added his second, Lion’s fourth, shortly after. Mo continued to cause the Hanham right back problems with his mazy runs, laying the ball back to Joe Galli. Galli’s sharp inside pass found Matee in space. Again, Matee set himself quickly before unleashing his shot, this time into the bottom corner. A fantastic goal, described by supporter Daniel Mills as ‘identical’ to the first, despite the different position, trajectory and angle of the strike.
Full of confidence, Lion continued to dominate the half seeking to add to their two-goal cushion. The fifth goal came midway through the half in somewhat scrappy fashion. After Beard’s long throw-in, Al Moores challenged for the ball which rebounded to Jace in the box. After failing to connect with his first right footed effort, Jace met the ball on the turn to hammer home with his left.
This goal, Jace’s 10th of the season, was also his 50th in a Lion shirt. His reward? Being absolutely clattered by the Hanham keeper when through on goal. Lion FC were dumbfounded as the referee was unmoved.
Like cider and black at a Lion social, the chances continued to flow. After excellent work from Beard down the right wing, Ryan Robinson delivered a dangerous cross into the box. Rising above the Hanham defence, Matee’s powerful header drew a good save from the keeper. Matee failed to convert his brace into a hattrick; also failing to earn a brand new ‘shit hat’ from manager, Brimble.
More chances followed after the introduction of Rehad and reintroduction of Dan Jones, Lion’s premier pace-merchants. When Rehad played the ball through to Jones, Dan cut inside deftly, carving out shooting space before hitting the ball wide. Another chance went begging after Jones pounced on a loose back pass. The pair combined again, this time with Jones providing for Rehad whose first-time strike sailed wide of the post.
Lion’s final goal proved to be the pick of the bunch, with Ryan Robinson proving he can score absolute bangers as well as sit down defenders for fun. After receiving the ball from Josh thirty yards from goal, Ryan took the ball in his stride before launching a thunderous strike into the top right-hand corner: a top bins-worldie-screamer if ever there was one.
Final Score: Hanham Athletic Reserves 2-6 Lion FC
MOM: Matee, by some margin.
Loser: Pat for having pockets on his shoes among other things.
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