Slazenger 3rds got their first league win on the board in emphatic fashion, with a 8-0 win over local rivals Rotherham 4th’s. In recent games, Slaz seemed able to create many chances, without the ability to convert them to goals. This was rectified this weekend.
Slaz started in brisk fashion, pressing the Rotherham defence within minutes. Rotherham seemed to be caught on the back foot, and struggled to contain the pressure. This was proven right, when John Sykes netted the first of his hat trick, carrying the ball through the centre and slotting it past the keeper.
With the first in, the home team took the advantage and secured the second; Sykes launching the ball into the D, where striker Steve Johnson tipped the ball in on the volley, leaving the keeper no chance to stop.
For the rest of the half, Rotherham rallied, and soaked up the pressure, with Slazenger being unable to capitalise. During the second half, Slaz increased the pressure, with further incisive runs down from Ste Roberts and Alex Calderley opening up the Rotherham back line.
In the final 30 minutes, Slaz fired home 6 more goals with no response from the visitors. Hard work from the Slaz back line; Mark Kitchen, Alan Perry, Nathan Crowther, John Toon and keeper Ralph Toon thwarted any attempts to rebalance the score.
John Sykes blasting the second goal home, 10 mins into the second half. Tom Whitaker got his first of the season with a deft move to defeat the keeper. Seconds later Luke Gueli also scored his first of the season, with a strike into the top left corner, leaving the keeper no chance of stopping it.
Ian Hedges secured the 6th with a one handed effort, recirving a pass from Sykes and lifting the ball over the keepers feet and into the goal. Sykes topped his hat trick off, dispatching a simple cross into the D. Hedges then secured the final goal. After a series of slick passes from midfielders Andrew Fisher and Ste Roberts forced a goal mouth scramble, finally dispatched with a back flick into the net.
Slaz continued to press in the dying minutes, but were unable to secure and further goals as the minutes ticked away. The Horbury side hope to maintain this momentum when they host Chapeltown in their Yorkshire Cup semifinal next week.
