The PTOTY lined up against Eastcote 3’s teams with the self-implosion of our 3-2 defeat at Phoenix and Ranelagh very much in the front of our minds, determined not to make the same mistakes. We didn’t (ish).
The first half was dominated by Staines and we were rewarded for some nice play when Stuart Hall finished a nice move in their circle to put us 1-0 up, and Jack Hayes buried a loose ball in their D to double our lead. Stuart then proceeded to run around and then through their defence to leave himself an open goal, to which he put the ball wide. So, we were 2-0 up at half time.
With our heads not switched on Eastcote snuck a goal, curtesy of some shambolic defending, that proceeded to wake us all up. Staines went forward again and would proceed to create more chances, of which a combination of poor finishing and good goalkeeping would keep out until Stuart remembered which side of he goalposts to ball the ball in and scored his second of the game to put us 3-1 up with a quarter of the game to go. Staines went forward again and won a short, which was flicked up of a stick leaving Stuart to help over the goalkeeper for his hattrick. With 5 minutes to play, I put Clive up front as the PTOTY went forward again, Jack drove into the circle and gave it to Clive, who forced a great stop from their keeper, which rebounded to Robbie Watson to slam home for the 5th. There was still time for Staines to force another stop from their keeper courtesy of Robbie (again) to leave the score at 5-1 to the PTOTY.
MOM went to Stuart for the Hattrick
DOD went to Captain Jack Hayes for limited goal success