Mens 1st XI v Tunbridge Wells

Details	Players
Season: Season 2008-2009 Date: 17.01.2009 Time: 13:00 Team: Mens 1st XI Competition: League Location: Home Opponent: Tunbridge Wells Our Score: 12 Opponent Score: 0 Result: Won	Matt Ansell - 0 Goal(s) Andy Williams - 1 Goal(s) James Godber - 0 Goal(s) Joel Shepherd - 0 Goal(s) Chris Binns - 0 Goal(s) Dan Ginnaw - 1 Goal(s) David Beales - 0 Goal(s) Craig Paterson - 2 Goal(s) Ben Burriss - 0 Goal(s) Grant Sawyer - 4 Goal(s) Cirdec Atkinson - 1 Goal(s) Ahmed Ramiz - 1 Goal(s) Alex Warner - 2 Goal(s)

Match Report(s)

Sawyer Nets Four on Debut as Wells are hit for a dozen!

Worthing 1st XI   12 v 0   Tunbridge Wells 1st XI

Scorers: Sawyer 4, Ginnaw, Humphries 2, Warner 2, Ramiz, Williams, Atkinson.

Worthing recorded one of the most emphatic wins in living memory on Saturday, as bottom club Tunbridge Wells were put to the sword at St Andrews. It was the perfect way to kickstart the league campaign after the month long Christmas break and keeps Worthing top of the table and stretches their unbeaten start to the season to 12 games.

Worthing gave a debut to their 3rd Australian, Grant Sawyer, who had joined in late November and shown some impressive form for the 3's and 2's. They also welcomed back fellow Aussie Ben Burriss (from a broken arm) and former Bangladesh international Ramiz 'Inga' who has confirmed he is available for the remainder of the season.

Tunbridge Wells arrived without a point so far in this campaign, no doubt low on confidence. Their club only returned to the Kent / Sussex Regional league in 2002, having won promotion to the higher level back in 1996. Normally a competitive outfit, it is surely a warning to a club like Worthing of how easily a side can slide if it loses key players.

Worthing started brightly and controlled the game in midfield through the energy, awareness and passing of Ginnaw, the work rate and cutting edge of Burriss and the calm assurance of captain Ansell starting at centre half. It didn't take too long for the first goal to arrive and it was debut boy Grant Sawyer, sniffing a rebound from a well executed Cirdec Atkinson drag flick. Once the first goal arrived, others followed soon after, with Wells unable to cope with the pace and movement of the Worthing front players, Sawyer, Atkinson, Ramiz and Humphries from the bench.

Sawyer in particular was timing his runs superbly and helped himself to a first half hatrick, following in at the far post. Ginnaw finally nailed a reverse stick strike into the corner along the deck, rather than over the St Andrews school roof! Warner was summoned from the bench, where he'd been nursing a slight back injury and duly despatched a customary drag flick.

It was 7-0 at half time, which is normally enough for teams to start easing off. However Worthing looked even hungrier in the second half and finished the job in style - goal difference could still be a big factor in this campaign. It was evident from the heavy breathing of players being rotated off that everyone was giving 100% and this was a vital run out after the cancellation of the previous weeks friendly.

There was some real quality hockey in the 2nd half. Andy Williams scored an excellent solo effort, cutting in from the right and beating the keeper with a flick into the far corner. Sawyer grabbed his 4th, which was the pick of the 12 and completed a remarkable debut. Good work from Atkinson on the right enbaled him to find Burriss on the baseline, just inside the D. He delivered the perfect cut back to Sawyer at the top of the D, allowing him to sweep it first time into the far corner. Joel Shepherd came up from full back to orchestrate a couple of short corners, delivering a slip pass for Humphries to score, and then having his own effort hit a post. Bealesy was also encouraged forward from left half and carved an undercut shot against the post.

It was obviously very pleasing to score so many goals and create so many other chances, but just as important was keeping that clean sheet. Binnsy dealt with the one save he had to make in the first half and marshalled the back line to snuff out any Tunbridge Wells threat.

A really strong performance from the whole squad and no doubt a few selection headaches for Captain Ansell to ponder over the coming weeks, with former Barcelona ace, Sciandro, making his comeback from holidays with the 2's, the likes of young Matt Sewell also showing continued promise and front man Lock due back from his knee injury shortly, and colonel Clanger back from naval duties in another couple of weeks.

Worthing travel to Old Williamsonians next Saturday hoping for another 3 points, after being held to a draw at St Andrews by this team back in October.

 

Squad: Binns; Shepherd, Godber; Williams, Ansell, Beales; Burriss, Ginnaw; Sawyer, Atkinson, Ramiz. Subs: Humphries, Warner