The team were anxious to put the disappointment of last weeks defeat behind them by progressing in the cup this week against Bristol Spartak.  They are a division below us but given our lack of match practise and having only 1 outfield sub we were expecting a tough game. 

What was needed was a positive start and an early goal and we duly got both.  Playing with the slope and wind we dominated the first few minutes and started to create chances.  We were soon 1 up when Nathan Redmore made good progress on the right, cut it back for Joe and he finished via a deflection.  The next goal came very shortly after but this time down the left.  The ball found it’s way to Adam who found Sam who finished well.  James soon got in the act when he finished off a flowing move to poke the ball home.  Spartak then had a spell of pressure but the defence was really strong with Josh and Nathan Blackwell getting in front of their attackers and getting tackles in.  Because of this our dominance soon returned and Sam put us 4 up when he rifled one in from the edge of the box.

The objective set at half time was to ensure that we kept a clean sheet and continued to play the way we had been.  Without the slope and wind it was proving quite difficult but again we were resolute at the back.  Jack and George were also working hard in midfield to try and get the advantage back. When our defence did look like it was in trouble Ben at sweeper mopped everything up with very little fuss.

Eventually we managed to wrestle the advantage back and apply some pressure.  From this pressure the ball came back to Jack who shot from the edge of the area the ball hit the underside of the bar but bounced down over the line. Saptak cam back and did hit the post but their resistance was broken and we were then pretty dominant.  Ollie, now playing on the left, ran on to a great ball from Adam and passed it into the net to make it 6:0.  Joe got his second with a left foot shot in the area and Sam got his hat trick when he ran onto a through ball from Joe.

The best team goal was saved until last however when Ben intercepted the ball at the back, stepped into midfield, fed Adam who found Sam.  He passed it between defenders for Ollie whose first time cross was side footed home by Joe for his hat trick.

So 9:0 was the final very convincing scoreline.  The new formation at the back worked well and special mention to Ben Worsely who looked today as though he’d played sweeper for years not days.  I’m not sure the performance was better than last week because of the standard of opposition but at this stage of the season it was just what we needed.  Feel sorry for the keepers today who must have felt as though they should have brought a book along to keep them occupied but I’m sure they will be needed later in the season!!  Next week it is the cup again with Fry the opposition