TOW LAW TOWN 5-1 WEST AUCKLAND
Saturday 20 October, 3:00PM, League
A second 5-1 score line in a week was hard to take for West Auckland especially given several good chances were spurned before cruel luck hit West at both ends of the pitch to cap a miserable week.
Dale Jardine was in the thick of the action from the off and on another could have had a hat trick within the first five minutes. After nutmegging ex West player Chris Renshaw on the edge of the area, he curled a shot narrowly the wrong side of the posts as West signaled their intentions from the off.
A slick move in the third minute saw Jardine in behind the back line but, rather than go across the keeper, tamely shot into the near side netting not troubling Marc Riches. The Lawyers keeper though was troubled a minute later, dashing out of his goal to collect a through ball, Jardine nipped it away from his grasp but, after staying on his feet following a clip, the ball rolled out for a goal kick coming to nothing.
Lee Innes has Tow Law's first effort in the 9th minute, a low shot that was held by Mark Bell. A minute later Bell was picking the ball out of his net despite making a good instinctive block from Lee Innes at close range, the ball only came out as far as Darren Hollingsworth and his header looped over the keeper and into the corner of the net.
Winger Thomas Louden partnered Dale Jardine up front after Garry Barnes' late withdrawal from the squad, and he spurned a glorious chance to equalise the 13th minute. Dale Jardine's great run forward saw him slip the ball into the path of Louden who, from 13 yards sidefooted the ball well over the crossbar.
2 minutes later Scott Nicholson lobbed just wide after picking up Stephen Tobin's headed clearance before desperate defending saw Stuart Owen then Ian Maddison's shots blocked. The visiting fans, who could scarcely believe the scoreline were then left fuming at the assistant referee who failed to spot a blatant handball by a Tow Law defender from Kevin Bromley's header back across the box.
In the 18th minute Jamie Middleton flashed a shot wide from outside the area as a spell of West Auckland pressure came to nothing. And they were nearly punished in the 20th minute when, confusion following a corner, saw Lee Innes header cleared off the line by Stuart Owen.
Tow Law had strong penalty claims of their own turned down in the 27th minute when a Lawyers player looked to be brought down as he was about to pull the trigger. However, the hosts extracted perfect revenge 2 minutes later to extend their lead when Kraig Wilkinson, one on one with Michael Waller, firstly lost then won back the ball from the defender before unleashing a shot that arrowed past Mark Bell and into his bottom right corner to double Tow Law's lead.
Dale Jardine glanced a header too high and Scott Nicholson fired over a free kick before Tow Law came within inches of inflicting further misery on West - Lee Innes fierce shot smashing against the bar from 25 yards.
The half time team talk saw West come out with renewed enthusiasm and it took just 5 minutes for Dale Jardine to have a sight at goal. Jamie Middleton challenged for a header, the ball came out to the forward who fired towards goal but the shot was always rising and did not trouble Marc Riches.
In the 9th minute desperate defending saw Tow Law again escape without conceding - firstly Riches raced out of goal to half clear from Jardine, Ian Maddison collected the loose ball and saw his shot blocked by the keeper before Jardine turned on Scott Nicholson's pass and fired wide.
After the frustration of going so close, the West team seemed to sink after this and Lee Innes flashed a shot narrowly wide. A stationary back line should then have been punished on 59 minutes - Chris Renshaw headed into the path of Lee Innes but the forward lifted his shot over Lee Hutton who had come on to replace an injured Mark Bell.
The game was then over as a contest in the 67th minute when Kraig Wilkinson cross found the only player in the box, Lee Innes, and the forward crashed home a shot under pressure to give a 3-0 score line.
It was to get worse 6 minutes later when Wilkinson latched onto a through ball, rounded the keeper but with a tight angle could only hit the post. West's luck though was summed up when the ball came back away from goal and before Michael Waller could stop, the ball had hit him and rolled into the net.
As if the luck could get any worse, it did in the 78th minute when Dale Jardine smashed a shot off the outside of the post after his good work to sum up a miserable day. The Lawyers rubbed further salt into the wounds with a fifth in the 83rd minute - Richard Langthorne's 25 yard free kick flying low into the corner to seal the rout.
West had deserved something for all the chances they had had and Danny Richmond curled a quickly taken free kick into the top corner to give them at least a name on the correct side of the score sheet.
Tow Law could have added another in injury time with Langthorne heading over as West quickly departed the pitch on the back of their second 5-1 score line in a week.
1. Mark Bell (17. Lee Hutton 51 minutes), 2. Michael Heckley, 3. Kevin Bromley, 4. Jamie Middleton, 5. Michael Waller, 6. Scott Nicholson, 7. Danny Richmond, 8. Ian Maddison (15. Bradley Woods 76 mins), 9. Dale Jardine, 10. Thomas Louden, 11. Stuart Owen
Subs Not Used: 12. Lee Ellison, 14. David Bayles