Ventolin Inhalers maintained their 100% record with another excellent display, beating second in the table Pathetic Athletic 5-2. A stunning hatrick from striker John Archdeacon and a brace from Tony Dain propelled Ventolin to victory against a very good young Pathetic side.
With everyone available Ventolin were able to name the same squad as last week, with the only change, LozRobinson starting up front this week in place of John Archdeacon.
Pathetic started brightly and soon had ventolin on the back foot with their fast skilful attacking play. Fortunately Barton was on top of his game, making a couple of early saves to deny Pathetic when a goal seemed almost certain.
Ventolin gradually settled and began to create chances of their own. Robinson went close with a first time shot, while Plass was unlucky to see his goal bound effort deflected wide by the keeper. Pressing higher up the pitch Ventolin were forcing Pathetic onto the back foot, Robinson hustled the ball off his opposite number before surging down the wing, where he played a neat ball into the path of Dain, who had the simple task of stroking the ball into the net past the hapless keeper. 1-0 Ventolin.
Pathetic came straight back at Ventolin and only a couple of minutes later levelled the scores. Through a combination of good play and poor marking, Pathetic managed to find away behind the usually solid defence and mde no mistake dispatching the ball low and hard past Barton in the inhalers goal. 1-1.
Affronted by this Ventolin came straight back at Pathetic, with Plass going close after some good build up play between Dain and Robinson. Dain then slightly overhit his pass to Plass after another excellent bit of team play that had created an opening behind the Pathetic defence.
It was therefore of no surprise when Archdeacon put the Inhalers ahead once more. This time finishing off another excellent team move that culminated with Robinson playing the perfect pass to Archdeacon who made no mistake with his finish. 2-1 Ventolin.
As the referee looked at his watch Pathetic launched another attack, winning a throw in high up the pitch Pathetic moved forward purposefully, unfortunately Ventolin were not so purposeful with the marking non existent, leaving another Pathetic player clear on goal, again he made no mistake, arrowing his shot easily past Barton once more. HT 2-2.
Ventolin regrouped knowing they had been playing well apart, from two moments of madness, which they were punished for clinically. That being said Ventolin knew this was a game they were more than capable of winning if they maintained their performance, while cutting out the silly mistakes at the back. And certainly a game they would need to win if they were going to maintain their chances of landing the title.
This time it was Ventolin who were the quickest out of the blocks, surging forward from kick off, they nearly made it 3-2 after good work from Robinson and Dain. Plass who like all of his team mates was having an excellent game, was dictating play and causing panic in the Pathetic defence every time he had the ball. it was Plass who started another team move involving Ross and Archdeacon, that created space for Robinson, who beat his man before sliding the ball across the box to Dain who had sprinted forward, and again made no mistake with a calm finish from close range. 3-2 Ventolin.
Ventolin knew this was the key moment of the game. Every time Ventolin had scored Pathetic had come staright back and equalised. There was a determination within the Ventolin ranks to end this sequence and instead keep tight while pressing for further goals, while making sure Pathetic were prevented from getting back into the game for a third time.
They were as good as their word. Drawing Pathetic out of defence by playing possession football from deep, Ventolin were able to involve keeper Barton in the outfield play which was unsetling a now fractious Pathetic team. Incredibly within a minute it was 4-2. Dain won the ball in midfield, going past his marker he sped to goal, drawing out the last defender before touching the ball into the path of in form striker Archdeacon, who dispatched his finish clinically. 4-2 Ventolin.
Archdeacon and Dain were both on their hatricks now and with Ventolin playing some of their best football of the season nobody was betting against further goals.
Ventolin again were pressing tight and also maintaining posession around the pitch superbly, this was causing a number of mistakes from the Pathetic team as well as providing Ventolin with the majority of possession.
Ventolin applied the final coup de grace with the move of the match. From goal Barton played the ball wide out to Dain, who with his first touch switched the ball across the pitch to Robinson, who side stepped his man before crafting a fine curling pass over the defence and into the feet of the advancing Plass, who took the ball in his stride before squaring the perfect pass into Archdeacon who notched his hatrick with a simple but clinical goal that is the hall mark and bread and butter of all of good strikers. FT 5-2 Ventolin.
Bar the ocassional scare when Ventolin continued to try and pass their way out of defence, Pathetic knew they were beaten and looked happy to see the referee call time on what had been an excellent game between two good sides.
Ventolin had again performed as a team and were clearly just too strong in the end for what had been excellent opponents. This impressive team spirit is a powerful driving factor in Ventolins success and love of the game.
Mamanger Tony Dain was thrilled with the team performance, "i thought we were even better than last week and against stronger opponents. Every single one of us played their part, We look solid but also with plenty of goals in us from all over the pitch."
There were a number of contenders for man of the match, Dain continued his impressive form this season with two more goals and an assist in a very good performance. Plass even in restrictive clothing was able to get on the ball and create and dominate his opposite number. In goal Barton was superb, solid, some excellent saves and getting involved in the outfield possession game. Robinson looked back to his best , with three key passes creating goals and always comfortable on the ball which allows for the possession game. Ross while nursing a dodgy stomach again played his usual solid game, marshalling the defence, without venturing quite so far upfield as is his usual want.
The final word must go to in form striker and Man of the Match John Archdeacon whose clinical finishing and good all round link up play proved to be the vital difference in what was a very tight contest. "We are looking very good, one game at a time, great to get the hatrick and help the team to victory.
Next week Ventolin take on Team Waitrose at the later time of 8.40pm.
