8:31am Tuesday 28th October 2008
By Dill Butcher
THE Golden Lion – wounded by their 4-2 defeat to Galaxy Windows last week – recovered to inflict a 5-0 thumping out to the Old Castle at the Marsh in the Champion-ship’s basement battle.
A slow start saw the Lion face some resilient defending from the Castle although Sam Husband nearly broke the deadlock when his shot struck a post.
The early pressure was starting to tell after 20 minutes and it was then that early substitute Tony Morris, on for the injured Andy Draper, poked the ball home from three yards after the Castle stopper had fumbled a corner.
Kevin Lowe then doubled the lead as he drilled a shot into the bottom corner after darting on to a Morris through ball for 2-0 at the interval.
Substitute Dave Smith replaced tiring Mark Bowden and, with his first touch, shot straight at the keeper when well placed but Lowe soon increased the lead following a fine passing move between Smith and Husband.
Later a long throw provided Smith with the chance to add a fourth from close range before Lowe completed a fine hat-trick when he raced on to Husband’s long ball, beat a defender and then sent the keeper the wrong way.
A mazy run from Matt Balsdon ended with a shot just over the bar and the Lion really should have added to their tally in the latter stages.
In the Premiership, the game of the day saw Danny Andrews bag a treble as title favourites the Duke of Albany out shot the Tuatara 7-3 at Redlands.
It did not take long for the Shaun Taylor Charity Shield winners to take control of the game and inside eight minutes they had fashioned a 2-0 lead with strikes from Andrews and Russell North (penalty).
A rout looked on the cards but it was the T-bar who pulled one back after 27 minutes when young Tom Grattidge fired under Anthony Luque – his sixth strike in three games. However, two more Duke goals before the break from Ben Porteus and Samways killed off the T-bar’s hopes of a comeback.
Player-boss Luke Tomlin finished a swift counter attack by scuffing a shot past Gregg McKinstry on 57 minutes, after which Chris Meadows’ side pulled one back as the impressive Michael Upton netted from James Roper’s corner for 5-2.
In the 76th minute Tomlin teed up Andrews to convert from eight yards – his 14th of the season and then the Duke completed the scoring with the goal of the game two minutes later.
A superb team move involving all the attacking players ended with Andrews’ cheeky back heel setting up Samways to fire home from ten yards.
A disappointing, error-strewn T-bar were slumping to their biggest defeat of the season and when Roper added their third late on it was of scant consolation.
Elsewhere in the top flight AFC Black Dog and fellow strugglers the George shared eight goals at the Grove but the Weymouth side will be happier with the point having trailed 3-1 at the break and 4-2 with just ten minutes remaining.
Ray Wellman found the bottom corner with a belter from 20 yards just five minutes in but the visitors were soon level when Joe Djeebet converted a penalty after Lee Rockingham was upended by James Potts.
Moments later Chris Armstrong sent Grant Chance through to beat Neil Robinson and the Portlanders made it 3-1 as Armstrong then released John Cameron who netted from 20 yards midway through the first period.
Amazingly the goals dried up until, that is, the 76th minute when keeper Adam Sedwell flapped at Ben Greenman’s corner and the ball dropped into the net but, almost immediately, Armstrong found Chance on the left wing and he cut inside Stone to drill beyond Robinson for 4-2.
The Dog needed a quick response and they got it through returning striker Dean Taylor who managed to lob Sedwell from 30 yards then it was left to super-sub Owen Foster to steal a point as he fired home from close range in the 89th minute.
Meanwhile, back on the mainland champions the Belvedere were looking for an improved performance as they hosted the visit of the Punchbowl to the Marsh and they hit the front foot after 21 minutes when, having played the neater football, Phil Lee slipped in Rob Maxted who finished with aplomb from 15 yards.
Taking their foot off the gas the Bowl got back in contention as Aaron Williams levelled before the break with a looping header from a corner.
Early in the second period Paul Cole fizzed in a low centre for Alex Halloran and the Portland mid-fielder bent a first time shot around the Bowl number one.
New signing Lewis Whyton then clinically dispatched a penalty and the Belve wrapped up the points, and the leadership of the division, as Dan McDonald headed home from a last minute corner to make it 4-1. Skipper Stuart Crane netted a late equaliser to land the Kingswood a deserved point against the Lugger at Budmouth.
The hosts started well and created a couple of chances before Michael Stone broke away at the other end and showed great determination to engineer an opportunity that fell agonisingly wide.
Lloyd Squibb also had a header cleared off the line for the Wood but the Lugger also went close on two occasions before the interval.
Eventually the Chickerell outfit took the lead just after the break but Crane ensured the spoils were shared with a cross-cum-shot that looped into the far corner after Ross Heaton’s fine pass.
Finally back in the Championship high-flying Rock shot down bottom club Clean Connections 10-2 over at Redlands to climb into second place in the table.
Elliott Burrow gave the Westham boys an early advantage and, after Connections had levelled, a superb free kick from Barry Bolton and an own goal made it 3-1 at the break.
The Rock were even more dominant throughout the second period and strikes from Dan Holden, Nick Brooks, a second from Burrow and Josh Houghton moved the score on to 7-1.
Connections pulled one back but debutant Dave Hunter entered the fray and added the Rock’s eighth before TJ Barker and Keiron Thorne completed the rout.
WEYMOUTH SUNDAY LEAGUE RESULTS
Premiership: Belvedere 4 Punchbowl 1, Duke of Albany 7 Tuatara 3, George 4 AFC Black Dog 4, Lugger 2 Kingswood 2, Rendezvous 0 Britannia 7, Rodwell 5 Railway Tavern 2.
Championship: Chapelhay 3 Market House 2, Clean Connections 2 Rock 10, George 2 Queens Park Venue 7, Golden Lion 5 Old Castle 0.
* Matches postponed: Alex v Galaxy Windows, Dorothy v Southill.
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