| Gadeside Rangers maintained their 100% start to the season with a comfortable victory over MK Ginder in a game packed full of incident at Westfield School. Dan Campbell returned to the fray with a classy hat-trick and debutant Charlie Saunders bagged a brace as Gadeside made it 27 goals in 3 games this season. |
| Manager Adam Hills was forced into several changes from the side which thumped Reed Rangers the week before with John Wilkins, Jay Evans and Spencer Edwards all unavailable while Tom Mitchell, carrying a knock - dropped to the bench. In came Campbell and Saunders along with first starts of the season for Daniel Brooks and Toby Zhou. It was clear from the word go that Ginder were fired up and were not going to let Gadeside settle and the early exchanges were scrappy. Gadeside did begin to exert some pressure on the visiting defence and Charlie Saunders put a number of teasing crosses in from the left. Toby Zhou scored have opened the scoring when he met a one Saunders' deliveries but his volley lacked conviction and was comfortable for Ginder keeper. |
| The deadlock was broken of 17 minutes with a classy individual strike by Dan Campbell. Picking the ball up on the right hand side of the area he turned his marker before hitting fercious left footed half-volley which crashed into the back of the net via the post. The goal relaxed Gadeside and they began to impose themselves. Saunders was enjoying a lot of the ball down the left and was on hand to smash home the second goal on 28 minutes when he collected a pass from Zhou and advanced on the keeper before confidently dispatching past the keeper. Campbell should have made it 3-0 with a powerful run down the left but the keeper saved well at the big striker's feet. However, the third goal was not far away as a pacey right wing corner from Charlie Saunders arrowed into the top corner of the far post. |
| Tom Shurville was attracting the attentions of a number of Ginder players and both he and O'Reilly found their way into referee Chambers notebooks after a petulant spat in the centre circle. Gadeside remained focused and were rewarded with a fourth goal on 39 minutes when a defensive mix up at the back allowed Dan Campbell the chance to lob the ball over the out of position keeper, and despite the best efforts of a Ginder defender to play in goal - the ball found its way into the net. The visitors did pull a goal back from the penalty spot, Tebbs sending Tom Oliver the wrong way but the talking point had been over referee Chambers' decision to award it. O'Mara had found himself clear of the Gadeside defence with just Oliver to beat. Justyn Walcott appeared to make a superb saving challenge to deny the Ginder hitman but Chambers signalled a foul and free kick outside the box. He then proceeded to caution both Walcott and Matt Evans before awarding the penalty. |
| The second half was another scrappy affair as Gadeside failed to get any real rhythm going. Daniel Brooks was stupidly dismissed for an off the ball incident on the hour and from then on Gadeside were happy to sit back and play on the break. Ginder enjoyed a bit more possession but never tested Tom Oliver. The defensive duo of Matt Evans and Ed Shurville looked cool and composed kept things tight. The final goal came in the dying minutes as Dan Campbell completed his hat-trick when he cut in from the right before smashing a left footed drive in off the post. A pleasing win, one which Gadeside didn't really have to get out of second gear to achieve. Next week, Gadeside travel to an unbeaten Headstone Athletic in the Presidents Cup - a game which will be their toughest test of the season so far. |
| Tom Oliver, Danny Everritt (Ian Freeman), Justyn Walcott, Matt Evans, Ed Shurville, Daniel Brooks, Ivanz Mani, Tom Shurville, Toby Zhou (Russ Popplewell), Dan Campbell, Charlie Saunders (Tom Mitchell) |