3rd Jan - ROVERS 15 Bels 0 - Happy New Year at Port Soif report by Chris Lihou
Rovers entertained Bels at Port Soif kicking off the first game of the New Year with a fine all round performance. As early as the 2nd minute Robin picked the ball up and played Fazakerley in, who with enough time to brew a cupper for the team and ask them if they wanted milk and sugar, planted the ball in the top corner leaving the Keeper rooted to the spot.
Chances came thick and fast and Netherton picked a loose ball up on the left his shot blazing a trail wide of the left upright. Cooney then joined the party winning the ball in midfield (as he did all afternoon - what a tenacious all round performance!) his shot sliced off Nightingale's head spinning into the path of Robin who finished to make it 2-0.
The lethal strike force of Browning and Robin combined to make it 3-0 with Browning providing the ammunition for Robin to drill home. Straight from the re start Cooney found himself in space hitting an unstoppable shot which cannoned off the post to safety. This galvanized Browning and Robin who for a 10 minute spell terrorised the Bels defence with their intelligent running. Browning made it 4-0 after a rapier pass from Nightingale tore the Bels defence apart, quickly adding his second and Rovers 5th after being slipped through by Cooney.
Browning followed this by dissecting the Bels right flank beating two defenders, drawing the keeper and unselfishly squaring for Robin to grab his hat-trick to make it 6-0. The deadly duo continued to torment a ragged back line combining beautifully to make it 7-0 following good work by Fazakerley in midfield, Robin cracking home his 4th goal in fine style.
Bels threatened briefly but were thwarted by "The Rock" that is Hood and Howitt, the defensive foundation that turns an average team into an exceptional one, underpinned by Keeper Arrol, who dived bravely (despite the handicap of a damaged thumb) at the pounding feet of the on rushing forward to cement yet another clean sheet.
During the dying minutes of the first half Robin turned provider to cap off a scintillating performance, backheading for Nightingale to make it 8-0 and reciprocating with an excellent pass to Nightingale who swept home to make it 9-0 at the break
Second Half:
Bels started the half strongly and edged back into the game. Hunt and Le Tocq repelled the wave of attacks from the Belgrave Wanderers and Drummy backed his defenders efforts with a double save, palming a shot away and then swooping at the on rushing forward's feet to save the rebound - tremendous stuff!
Very soon Rovers began to find their passes and Whitmore, Stokes and Philpott began to threaten the Bels valiant rearguard. Stokes rampaged down the left giving Whitmore the opportunity to make it 10-0. The same two players then played a series of sweet give and goes slipping the ball to Nightingale on the penalty box, who with is back to goal, turned and drilled the ball through a sea of legs into the bottom bin, 11-0.
Howitt then replaced Hood at the centre of defence and almost immediately popped up on the right wing like a latter day Danny McGrain (that great Celtic and Scottish full back who graced Hamden Park in a golden era, when Scottish teams won prestigous competitions like the European Cup). He sent over a peach of a ball which Whitmore met with a spectacular diving header bulleting the ball into the roof of the net to make it twelve.
Fazakerely then put Stokes in on the left who slotted cooly to make it thirteen and then scored himself after good work by Howitt to rack the score up to 14. Philpott scored to make it 15 rounding off a stupendous overall team performance when put through by Stokes. |
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