Men's 2nd XI vs Old Williamsonians M4

Words:            James Perks

Oppo:             Old Williamsonian 4, Home

Final Score:    W 8-0

Goalscorers: Simon Hooper (2), James Perks (3), Dave Hooper, Adam Sidders

Redemption required after last week’s slip up. Old Williamsonians had won their last 2 games prior to today. Ville need a faultless finish to the season and to improve their goal difference to put pressure on the league leaders to try and clinch 2nd place as a minimum.

A decent pre match team talk, warm up and already it felt better than last week.

Cliftonville were in complete control from the very first whistle, slick passing, movement off the ball and willing runners. It didn't take long before we got our first of the afternoon. Simon in his usual position on the left, picked the ball up in their D and flung the ball into the far corner 1-0. 

Five minutes later we doubled our advantage with our first short corner of the afternoon. Hoops dragged out, JB stop, roll and Perks dispatched from the top of the D into the bottom corner. 2-0.

Only a couple minutes later Ville grabbed their 3rd. Will from the baseline fizzed it into Perks with his back to goal and keeper behind managed to find himself a yard and then buried it to make it 3-0.

Another Hooper, this time Dave (we had 3 Hoopers playing today) drove at the defence on one of his customary mazy runs beating three of four and made no mistake slotting it past the keeper made it 4-0.

There was still time before the break to extend our advantage even further. Simon drove in off the left and pinged a ball across the face of the goal, Perks got on the end of it and deflected it into the far corner to complete his hat trick and make it 5-0 at half time.

A brilliant first half of hockey from Cliftonville! The message was clear at half time, let's not get complacent, we go again and win the 2nd half convincingly. Something as a group we haven't done for a good few weeks, we've done the damage in the 1st half but have let the oppo back into the game. This wasn't going to happen today!

Sidders got us off and running after the break. A through ball found him and he unleashed a strike from the top of the D into the far corner. 6-0.

I've played hockey for over 30 years and don't think in all that time I have personally witnessed a goal as good as this next one. He has scored a few reverse stick efforts this season, but this was something else. Simon, from the tightest of angles and some way out, on his reverse stick unleashed a rocket which flew into the roof of the goal before the keeper even had time to blink. 7-0.

With an inferior goal difference to our closest rivals Ville wanted more to close that gap.

Another short corner goal came from a well worked routine. Perks slipped left to Simon who fed Hoops on the post 8-0.

With almost the last play of the game Simon managed to bundle the ball over the line to secure a very well-deserved hat trick. 

Mission accomplished, 3 points in the bag, shed load of goals scored and none conceded. Perfect afternoon and great all round team performance.

MOTM - Goal of the season winner - Simon Hooper. Shame no one filmed it for his 868,000 Instagram followers.

DOD - Jack - turning up slightly worse for wear and forcing Hughes to make the one and only save

SQUAD:

·      John Barrett (Capt), Will Ainsworth, Dave Hooper, Max Hooper, Simon Hooper, James Hughes, Rob Macer, Max O’Callaghan, James Perks, Adam Sidders, Jack Sweeney-MacQueen, David Walkom.