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WESTMINSTER CASUALS 5
SOUTH GODSTONE 3
SSEC Division One, Saturday 20 February 2010
ON THE SPOT: Skel
Westminster Casuals kept themselves in title race after defeating South Godstone to win their first league points of 2010.
The Casuals scored four of their goals in the space of 20 action packed first half minutes but were only sure of the points when Ian Hardy struck his second goal of the game in latter stages.
In a bizarre first half the referee awarded both teams two penalties each,
three of which were very debatable. Godstone won the first when Ian McMeckan collided with their onrushing striker and, despite the ball being clearly out of play, the referee pointed to the spot. However justice was done when the January player of the month dusted himself down and pulled off one of the saves of the season diving low to his left to save a well struck penalty.
Moments later a well worked short corner allowed Dangerous Dave to storm into the box only to be hacked down. Up stepped John Skelly to score from the spot.
Minutes later an inswinging Sam Holder corner was despatched by the set piece executioner Dan ?Lurch? Little at the back post to give the Casuals a 2-0 lead.
Godstone soon reduced the arrears when a shot from the edge of the box deflected off Ollie Harker-Smith into the bottom corner.
Some good work down the right and pin point cross from Dave Brain found Lurch at the back post and despite spooning the ball over bar the referee penalised the Godstone defender for tugging his shirt. Up stepped Skelly to coolly score his fifth successive penalty taking his seasons goal tally to 8. 3-1 to the Casuals.
On the half hour mark some good link play between lotto winner Angry and Skelly released Holder down the right and his through ball found Ian Hardy who took one touch and struck low into the far corner. Classic Hitman.
Feeling a bit left out the referee decided to award yet another penalty this time for a block on the tricky Godstone midfielder. Green Giant again guessed the right way but had no chance after the penalty was well hit into the corner of the net. 4-2 after a breathless first half.
The second period saw Holder miss two good chances and Skelly scuff his shot wide when he looked certain to grab a hat trick. Godstone pulled a goal back when more good play from their right winger set up a close range finish at the back post and the Casuals were suddenly under pressure.
The visitors had chances to level but the game was finally settled when Holder unselfishly squared the ball to the Hitman who tapped in his second of the game. This was Ian?s first brace for 15 months, his last coming in a 4-3 defeat at Tooting Bec in Nov 2008.
All in all it was a solid three points for the Casuals with some outstanding individual performances, most notably from Ian Hardy, Davey Mc and Russell Hughes.
The Casuals take a break from league action next week as they face AFC Ewell in the League Cup Quarter Final.
League Table:
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