Lee Wright AND Lee Walton grab Hat-Tricks in EIGHT Goal Haul !!!!
Hunloke Arms F.C.....2 AFC Walton.....8.
Benny reverted to a more attacking 3-4-1-2 formation against Hunloke Arms @ King George V playing fields this afternoon (sunday). With closest rivals Barrow Hill involved in the Chatsworth Cup, it was a chance to put a much needed 3 point gap between the two teams, albeit leaving Barrow Hill two games in hand. Lee Whitehead was the unlucky person to miss out from the fantastic performance the week previous at Dronfield.
AFC went straight on the attack, winning a free kick in a dangerous position, some 30 yards central from goal. Bettney picked out Danny Brown down the wing who fired the ball across the goal, just missed by Wright sliding in by the far post, and was turned away by a defender for a corner. The resulting kick was expertly flicked on by Goodwin, but was cleared off the line. The visitors were only to be denied for a short while however. The move started after a scramble in the AFC defence, Shane Bennett came away with the ball, picking out Danny Brown, he crossed for LEE WALTON to head beyond the keeper into the corner of the net. Moments later another swift move involving Furniss and Higginbottom saw Walton again go close, but the hosts keepeer saved well. Walton was causing the hosts defence all sorts of problems after he hooked a shot inches over on 7 mins, after a fine cross by Wright played him through. Hunloke broke clear on 10 mins, but the striker shot wastefully wide.
The hosts were made to pay for this within a minute, a long ball to Wright was played on to LEE WALTON again, and he smashed the chance home. 2 became 3 on 13 minutes, Shane Bennetts pinpoint pass sent Danny Brown down thwe wing, he beat his marker bhefore crossing and LEE WRIGHT rose to head home despite the tight marking by a defender. Paul Walton almost got into the act on the quater hour, firing just wide after Higginbottom played him in. It was all one way action at this point, with the visitors mounting attack after attack on the hosts. Wright won a foul 25 yards from goal after 20, when he was bundled off the ball, but Bettney fired his fierce drive into the wall. The Hunloke goal was breached again on 23 mins, Furniss threw the ball to Paul Walton, whose long raking pass found his LEE WRIGHT who skipped past a strong challenge in the box by a defender, before forcing the ball past the diving keeper and carrying on to brush the ball over the line for 4-0.
Danny Brown went agonisingly close again with 20 mins of the half to go, after seeing his cross shot go inches wide after beating the diving keeper. The stoppers woes were'nt over however as LEE WALTON tormented him again on 27 mins after a long throw by Furniss set him clear just inside his own half, he collected the ball before cutting inside, and smashing home a fine strike from 20 yards. The Hunloke keeper shook his head in disbelief at times as it looked like men against boys, with Lee Walton a CONSTANT thorn in the defenders side, ably assisted by Wright, Paul Walton, Goodwin and Bennett who were also pushing forward. AFC however couldnt find the net in the last 20 mins of the first half, and Hunloke were afforded some much needed respite as the whistle blew. HALF TIME Hunloke Arms F.C...0 AFC Walton...5.
Benny however warned that a more restrained performance was needed in the second half, as the pitch was a little boggy outside the top goal, but very bobbly in most of the other areas, and with Hunloke kicking down the slope there was a danger of being over-run at the back. Despite this warning AFC went gung-ho, looking for more goals, at times leaving Higginbottom and Bettney outnumbered. 7 minutes into the half and Hunloke grabbed what at that time seemed strangely well deserved when Bettney was trapped at the back unable to clear the ball, the striker smuggled the ball off him and hooked the effort over Furniss and into the net for what turned out to be the 500th goal the club had conceded in thier 6 season history. The AFC skipper almost made amends 2 mins later firing a free kick goalwards, but the keeper somehow scrambled a save. AFC were breachwed again on 55 mins, a long ball over the defence, and although an active player was clearly offside and going towards the ball, play continued and another player ran through and slotted the ball home for 5-2.
Whitehead replaced the returning Higginbottom as Hunloke began to get a slight foothold into the game and got another chance moments later, but fired well wide. Brown went close with a stinging shot on 73 mins, as his constant darting wing runs began to push Hunloke back as trhe began to tire.On 74 mins the hosts went close, after 2 AFC players got in each others way, but the Hunloke striker hooked his effort wide. Transfer Deadline day signing Jerome Silcock became the 70th player ever to pull on the team shirt when he made his debut on 77 mins replacing Bonson. Fronm this moment AFC took complete control as the hosts began to tire. They gave the scoreline a much more comfortable feel soon after grabbing 2 goals within 60 seconds. Firstly Paul Walton floaed pass over the defence that was well met with a fine GOODWIN diving header. Then WRIGHT bagged himself his NINTH personal hat-trick of his career on 79 mins when Lee Walton played him in with a crisp pass. Bennett almost bagged himself a goal on 85 mins, but turned his ankle on the soft ground as he prepared to shoot, and was immediatly replaced by his brother Scott. LEE WALTON grabbed AFC's EIGHTH goal of the match after a Paul Walton pass was prodded goalwards by Goodwin for the striker to make sure tapping home and gaining the MOTM award for the day. The last chance of the game fell to Hunloke as they found themselves 2 on 2, but the striker shot straight at Furniss.FULL TIME SCORE Hunloke Arms F.C....2 AFC Walton....8.
