OWFC (1s) 5-2 King's CW
Team: Wheal, Fuller, Bouch, Sever, Mercer, Ollie Mitchell, Goulding, Prichard, Matt Black, Hodnett, Donald, Essex
Goals: Essex (3), Donald (2)
MoM: Essex
The Dubs and King's were level on points before the game, with the Dubs hoping to beat King's record of the highest placed finish for a newly promoted side in the Prem of 4th, back a few years ago. Having only played once in six weeks, the Dubs felt as fresh as the zero degree cold snap sweeping over the Chiswick plains.
Basically, by about 25 minutes in, the Dubs were 4-0 up, with the first three goals from James Essex the very definition of clinical finishing. First, a very nice passing move started by a raking ball from Matt Black, through to Donald, Mitchell, Goulding into Hodnett on the edge of the area, too quick for his marker who tripped him up, to give us a penalty. Essex duly smashed this very very hard down the middle.
The second (apologies if the order is wrong - it was all a very quick euphoric blur at the time) saw a Mitchell throw-in dealt innocently to Essex who turned like Kane and hit it on the half volley from about 30 yards out, straight into the corner. The other was a more typical byline muscle-fight that Essex won and scored from a tight angle. 3-0.
Donald then made it 4-0 with a Van Persie-esque left-footed volley from wide that the keeper may have somewhat misjudged as going wide as it trickled in flew FEROCIOUSLY into the net! The job of maintaining the same intensity, and living up to the first 20 minutes of four goals without reply was not an easy task, and we decided to start playing like Man City around the back, working triangles deep in our own half, which was pushing our luck to say the least and created a few problems. A free-kick that wrong-footed the wall as well as the keeper got one back for King's, for 4-1 at half-time.
The next goal was crucial, and scored thankfully through a two-yard golazo from Donald after a goal-mouth scramble, to make it 5-1 and comfortable. King's pressed throughout the second half but the Dubs defence standed firm. They got a consolation on the stroke of full-time.
A home tie versus Salopians, who gave us the start of this winning run in January, but who basically have to win to survive, beckons on Saturday. Finishing 3rd above Tonbridge is not out of the question.