Zion FC battered Amplicon Athletic 7-2 to retain their Premiership status on Monday night. It was Player/Manager Tommy Powell who took the plaudits after an electric performance steered his team clear of the drop zone.
Both sides were under pressure to win this crucial match. Failure to do so, would take each sides respective relegation battle's to the final match. Amplicon were tipped to have the advantage by many pundits, due to their previous experience of relegation battle's. Zion's recent form on the other hand had been woeful, and the pre-game expectation levels of the away supporters weren't high. However, the lack of confidence the fans had didn't transcend to the Zion players on the pitch, who started the game brightly with some great passing football. David Jones and Tommy Powell were linking up in attacking positions, while Tony Dain and Dan Shotton were providing good service to the more attacking players. It was Jones who opened the scoring when he received a Shotton throw in and turned his man brilliantly before unleashing a powerful left footed drive into the bottom left corner of the net. Powell then stole the show. A long goalkick from the impressive Steve Winter landed at the feet of Powell, who controlled the ball, beat his helpless opponent, and manipulated a goalscoring opportunity, all in one movement. The confident finish that followed was of typical authority and Zion had doubled their lead. Powell then doubled his tally when link up play between Dain and Jones presented Powell with an easy left footed tap in. The 3-0 half time scoreline was the least Zion's dominant display deserved and had silenced the cauldron of Amplicon's home support.
Complacency was the operative word for Zion's opening ten minutes to the second half. Twice in quick succession, they were caught out by long balls that set Amplicon's strikers through on goal. On both occasions Winter's net bulged as Amplicon gave themselves great hope by reducing the scoreline to 3-2. This only sparked Zion into action. A perfectly timed one-two between Powell and Jones saw the latter restore a cushion. It was Jones again who troubled the Amplicon defence when he turned on a pass from Dain and after using a double stepover to create a shooting opportunity, dispatched a shot that the keeper could only fingertip into the corner of the goal. The exhibition stuff started to flow from that moment. Powell attempted a neat flick only to be met with a chorus of jeers from the opposition's supporters, at the fact he'd fluffed his effort. However, it was Powell who was laughing at Amplicon's expense, when he latched onto a Dain through ball to apply the finishing touches to his hatrick. Powell then turned provider when his pass found Shotton who out-muscled his man and unleashed a furocious drive that left the keeper watching the ball into the top right corner of his goal.
Powell diverted the praise to his team mates at the post match press conference, "All over the pitch it was an improved performance. We were brilliant tonight and the boys deserved it. I never had any doubts that we would be a Premiership team next season." He was quick to point out that his team are still a work in progress, "There are still a few things as a team that need to be ironed out. We are conceding too many goals and we have to address that and alter that as a team." With safety secured Zion look to end the season on a high when they entertain McMags FC on Monday 11th May.
