Free-scoring Easton back on song (From This is Hampshire)

Free-scoring Easton back on song

9:01am Tuesday 9th February 2010

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Easton UNITED 5 WAREHAM RANGERS 2

GOAL crazy Easton United firmly put themselves back in the driving seat in the race for the Dorset Senior League title, but had to shake off a Wareham side that were reluctant to give in.

Stu Burley, Grant Chance and Ben Skelton handed United a 3-1 lead at half- time before Antony Carlile and Kike Baloqan wrapped matters up late in the game.

Those five strikes mean second-placed Easton have now scored a total of 48 goals this season – 16 more than any other side in the division – and their Senior League chances were aided by results elsewhere generally going their way.

“It’s been a good weekend all round for us,” said manager Chris Wilson. “It was a good performance and results around us went okay so it has put us right back in the driving seat again.

“We talked about that we had to stay focused after last week’s defeat to Sports and if we win all our games it’s still in our hands to take it.”

The Portlanders lost Matt Burch to injury just before kick off but his replacement Burley needed less than two minutes to make his mark by converting Akoknia’s through pass.

Chance missed a glorious opportunity from a corner before making amends by doubling Easton’s lead, but a sloppy breakaway goal kept Wareham in touch.

The killer blow was struck a minute before half time when Carlile crossed to the back post for Ben Skelton to head his side into a 3-1 lead at half-time.

Rangers responded after the break by putting Martin Rutland’s goal under severe pressure and got themselves right back in the match with another strike.

However, that pressure dropped and the home side responded when Carlile beat his man and cracked in a super strike from 20 yards before substitute Baloqan ran through and chipped the Wareham goalkeeper to hand Easton their fifth league win by three goals or more this season.

Although the scoreline was eventually comfortable, Wilson believes his side needs to be even more ruthless when on top.

“We need to learn to kill games off a bit better,” he said. “We look like we’re chasing it sometimes when we’re in front so we need to be a bit more composed.”

But he added: “We played more really good football so I’m really pleased and five goals is always a nice statistic.”

Easton: Rutland, Hayes, Oldrid, Williams, Kelly, A Skelton, B Skelton (Lewis 70), Burley (Squibb 55), Akoknia (Baloqan 65), Carlile, Chance.

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