After engineering a 10-0 victory in the County Cup last week, Sacriston came into the match high on confidence and were aiming for three points against a Pelaw Dogs side who had won the last three meetings between the two sides.
With gaffer Diego Fosta serving a touchline ban for his antics against Arsenal, Sergeant Summers took charge for the match and brought Mordue and Ryan Bell into the starting line up in place of the absent Finch and Fenners; the home side were otherwise unchanged.
The first half was fairly uneventful with both teams cancelling each other out on numerous occasions but it was Pelaw who eventually took the lead mid-way through the half when an in-swinging corner was met by an attacking header into the top corner; Sacriston appealed for a foul on the keeper but the referee allowed the goal to stand giving the away side a 1-0 lead.
The Dogs were then caught napping after kick off and Sacriston hit back almost immediately when Liam ‘Crouchy’ Walton played a ball forward to bustling Ben Sanderson who took a touch round the defender and fired low into the far corner past the keeper to continue his recent goal streak.
The remainder of the half fizzled out and the scores were even at half time, with Sacriston the happier of the two sides having been a goal down.
Despite not playing their best football during the first half, Sacriston were fired up for the second half and started to completely dominate the game across the park, with Winter leading the line well and linking up well with both wingers and the energetic El Mord who was enjoying his attacking midfield role.
Sacriston were now in total control of the game and despite some dogged Dogs’ defending it seemed inevitable that sky blues would take the lead eventually; that crucial goal came on around 60 minutes when Pelaw headed a cross away from goal for what looked to be a corner, but Winter did well to keep the ball in close to the line, dribble towards goal and lay the ball back for the immaculate Mordue to sweep home for his first of the game.
This goal livened Pelaw up a little but Sacriston were still in control of the game and almost made it three when marvellous Diego Mordadona took it upon himself to dribble round four or five Dogs’ defenders and get himself through on goal, only to then turn into Chris Heskey and fire tamely into the keepers arms!
Segga then made their only change of the game with Ryan Green coming on in place of Bell who had a good game down the wing but was now starting to tire.
Sacriston doubled their lead on 70 minutes when newly crowned and now five time FIFA champion of the world (Sacriston WMC) Tom cut out a Pelaw cross and cleared long up field to his five time FIFA runner up brother David who flicked the ball on with a deft header on the half way line to send the tireless Mordue in on goal and the females favourite kept his composure and slotted the ball into the bottom corner for his second of the game.
The last 20 minutes were ticking away with Sacriston defending well but Pelaw almost pulled a goal back with 10 minutes to go when an excellent half volley was headed towards the top right corner only for the athletic and agile Adam Davies to make a fantastic full stretch save to tip the ball beyond the post and deny the opposition.
With just minutes to go Winter almost made it four when he prodded towards goal and when Mordue couldn’t turn home the rebound the ball eventually fell to Ben Sanderson who in Aaron White style smashed the ball into the roof of the net for his second goal of the game to seal the three points
With seconds on the clock and the last kick of the game Macho Macho Mord received the ball on the edge of the box and fired home into the bottom corner for a well-deserved hat-trick.
The whole team performed excellently throughout the game and in particular the midfield where Davey and Ben set the tone for the rest of the team with their non-stop running and pinpoint passing, particularly in the second half. Man of the match however went to marriage material Mord who was presented with the match ball by stand in gaffer Sir Alex Fergisummers for his hat-trick.
