After a poor run of results, the Lions roared back to life with an emphatic win over Oatlands, due in no small part to an unprecedented seven goal haul by Gary Dixon, who almost doubled his tally for the season in this game. The Lions dominated the game from start to finish and given the number of chances we created, should have had the scoreline well into double figures.
Line-up:
Paige(GK)
Phil (RB), Simon (CB), Matt (CB), Julian R (LB)
JP (CM), Lee M (CM), Dale (CM)
Jon (RF), Scott (CF), Gary (LF)
More details to follow... (note: given the number of goals, it was hard to remember who got the assists, so feel free to shout out if you feel you have not been recognised for an assist)
We had a result in actually being able to play the match at all as it turned out that all the other matches in our Division were called off due to frozen pitches, on a sunny but bitterly cold winter's day. Being our first League game for over a month, we were desperate to win this to go some way to easing the disappointment of crashing out of three cups in a row.
Right from the start we were on the offensive against a depleted Oatlands side. We had numerous chances in the first few minutes, with Scott having most of them, but finding the keeper hard to beat. Scott was foiled twice in as many seconds by the keeper who somehow managed to block two close range efforts.
Our first goal was a scrappy affair, with the oppo unable to get the ball cleared from the six yard area before Gary poked it home. The second goal was more down to clinical finishing as Gary got the ball on the left hand side of the penalty area, picked his spot and slotted it past the keeper.
Scott and Gary missed numerous chances to increase our lead before half time with the oppo rarely threatening. Paige had to make one catch when a volley/lob threatened to creep into the top corner, but aside from that, our defence managed to hold the oppo at bay for the most part.
With a rare two goal cushion, we started the second half on the offensive and soon added to the lead. Some good link up play up front ended with Scott laying the ball off to Gary who put it way for his hat trick. Not too sure about the order of the subsequent goals. I got an assist when put a ball over the top down the right flank for Gary to run onto and volley first time through the keeper's legs. JP sold everyone including himself a dummy when he totally missed the ball for a shot and the ball travelled on to Gary who again finished with aplomb. I think another goal was down to either Lee or Dale heading the back after a poor goal kick from the keeper and Gary was left all on his own to put the ball past the keeper. Gary's last was down to an outstanding run by Kev, who took the ball from the right hand touchline to the left side byline and found Gary with a pull back who put away his seventh of the match. Gary returned the favour to set up Kev for his second goal of the season and cap an incredible performance.
Good as it was, the scoreline could have been better, with Dale, JP, Kev, Scott, Adam and even myself coming close with efforts in the second half. The one goal we did concede was down to Adam conceding a free kick on a rare occasion when they managed to get out of their half. The free kick was just outside the area and although the first strike went straight into the wall, the follow up found an unprotected bottom corner.
In the end the lack of a clean sheet was a minor blot on a day when we got the result we really needed and ultimately deserved.
