Magnificent seven as LRFC stay top of league
HINCKLEY’S Leicester Road FC put in a dominant display to send GNP Sports back to Coventry on the wrong side of a 7-1 score line.
The goals came from Joseph Lyne, Jack Harrison, Liam Read and Simon Alcott, along with another Matty Langham hattrick – and with this fixture being the only one in the league to beat the weather it further consolidates LRFC’s position at the top of MFL Division 1.
LRFC began brightly on the somewhat sticky pitch and on 2 mins a neat one-two between Sam Munton and Langham on the edge of the box set up Lyne, but he half volleyed just wide. Then on 10 mins Callum Earls got down the left wing and his flicked cross was met by Dom Brennan, but GNP keeper Tregartha saved admirably at point blank range.
On 18 mins the Road had a great chance to open the scoring when Read intercepted a back pass, but he chose to dink it over Tregartha and onto the bar rather than square it for the unmarked Brennan. A goal was coming, however, and on 25 mins Alcott met a Read corner at the far post and Langham glanced it in on the six yard line.
GNP had their first real effort on goal on 28 mins, but although midfielder Caputa hit it well it was straight at Road Keeper Will Highland and he held firmly. Two minutes later though it was 2-0 when Lyne turned his man on the edge of the box and chipped exquisitely into the far top corner.
The Road were unlucky not to be three up just minutes later when a drilled 20 yard drive from Alcott hit the inside of the post and back into the grateful arms of the prostrate keeper. But again the pressure was mounting and on 36 mins a mazy Munton run down the right saw him link well with Langham and Harrison ghosted past his man to tap in from six yards.
LRFC had a couple more decent chances before the first period ended, but both Read and Brennan were whiskers away with near post flicks – and it was 3-0 to the Hinckley side at half time.
The Road continued where they left off and began the second half with some lovely flowing football; Langham’s cushioned header from an Alcott cross only just over on 47 mins. Brennan was again foiled by Tregartha on 53 mins, but a minute later it was 4-0 as Read arrived late to volley Munton’s inviting cross into the ground and over the helpless keeper.
Road keeper Highland did have a scare moments later when a flicked header from GNP striker Lloyd hit the base of the post, but it was a rare foray forward for the visitors. Then on 61 mins it was Tregartha who was busy again – getting down low to fingertip a Read drive round the post after a slide rule pass from Jordan Burrows.
A minute later the fifth goal duly came when Alcott again headed a probing cross back across the area and Langham smashed it in from close range. Provider then turned goal scorer on 66 mins when Alcott cut inside from the right and rifled in with his left from 20 yards to make it six of the best.
On 70 mins The Road were denied a penalty when Read was hauled down in the box by a defender just as he was about to play in the unmarked Langham for his hat-trick - and shortly after the big striker lashed wide after good pressure on Tregartha by Harrison.
Then on 78 mins the Road switched off momentarily, expecting a handball decision that never came, and Caputa teed up striker Siddall and he floated it over Highland and into the top corner for a fine GNP consolation goal at least.
The Road weren’t done, however, and a minute before full time Langham finally got his hat-trick after a poor kick out from Tregartha went straight to him and he drove towards goal, rounded the advancing keeper and slotted it home for a final score line of 7-1 and another crucial three points.
LRFC Starting X1: Highland (GK,) Alcott, Jenno (C), Earls, Harrison, Lyne, Munton, Burrows, Read, Brennan, Langham. SUBS: Perkins, (GK), Hohn, Whitehouse, del Gesso, Gomes.