May The Force Be Against You

Prior to the game came news of manager Dixie Dean’s departure at the end of the current campaign and the more disappointing news that despite being in a safe league position come the end of the season, The Lingers have filed their intention to the Southern Counties League of relegating themselves to the level below.

However the news did not hinder the home side in an entertaining and enthralling fixture which got off to the most bizarre of openings as the hosts took the lead after only 36 seconds. Winger Chris Shanny crossed a seemingly harmless ball into the box from the right hand side with The Dere’s ‘keeper George Kamurasi inexplicably punching the ball ninety degrees behind him and into the net.

Brennan Kiernan found himself through on goal moments from the restart and lobbing Kamurasi saw his effort heading wide of the far post only for Ben Alecsander to keep the ball in play, turning and shooting at goal only for the wandering ‘keeper to get back into position and save his, and his sides blushes.

The Dere’s soon found there stride as Joe Minter ran through on goal only to see his ‘goal’ disallowed for offside. Alfie May then saw his attempted lob go high and wide with The Lingers’ defence cut open and Denzel Gayle saw his shot from range go harmlessly over.

Alecsander caused the visitors danger on the quarter hour mark as his long range drive beat the diving Kamurasi but fell narrowly the wrong side of the ‘keepers’ left hand post.

And the miss was soon capitalised upon as the hosts lost their early lead as Enoch Adjei found space on the right side of the box and slid his shot past Lewis Lockyer to level the game. Within minutes The Lingers’ were rocked as Adjei almost helped himself to another soon after but Lockyer was well on hand to make fine saves at the strikers feet and then getting down well to snuff out any danger.

Having weathered a storm, the hosts retook the lead as the industrious Alecsander showed another example of fine footwork and, with his back to goal, he turned his man to shoot low right footed into the back of the net.

As half time approached The Lingers continued their fine opening as Alecsander again showed composure and strength to lay off the ball to the advancing Kiernan but he was unable to keep the ball down and shot harmlessly over the bar. Kiernan soon found himself through one-on-one with Kamurasi after a woeful back-pass but his heavy first touch gave the visiting custodian the opportunity to intercept and clear the danger. However the danger didn’t end there as Shanny picked up the loose ball on the right side of the box but saw his goal-bound effort cleared off the line by the covering defence.

The visitors put The Lingers under pressure in the closing stages of the half as May struck a volley wide of the far post – watched on by Lockyer – and then curling a harmless effort over the bar.

The Lingers struck gold again within a minute of the second half kicking off as, after 54 seconds as Kiernan showed electric pace and confidence to run at and past the defence, catching them cold, slotting the ball under Kamurasi to give the host a two-goal lead.

In a moment The Lingers almost went three goals clear but were instead pegged back as Alecsander once again turned well in the penalty area but shot weakly at Kamurasi. From the resulting clearance Alfie May took on the ball on the right hand side of the hosts’ penalty area, and shooting more in hope, saw his goal-bound effort kick up an inordinate amount of dust, with Lockyer helpless as the ball looped over him into the back of the net.

Alecsander continued to be a threat linking up well with Jack Rose but his shot was this time blocked.

On the hour the game changed and turned in favour of the visitors. Alfie May attacked a dangerous inswinging free kick with Lockyer equal to it in tipping May’s effort over the bar but Lockyer was unable to stop the resulting attack from the corner as May slid in and scored from close range – The game was now all square at 3-3.

Lockyer then showed find form and athleticism as he kept out a bullet-header, clawing it out impressively.

The Lingers were unable to hold their visitors with only ten minutes remaining as Lockyer was again helpless in stopping May grab his hat-trick, bundling the ball home from close range despite pressure from four defenders

Lockyer once again saved well from a goal-bound header but was soon left exposed as May helped himself to the visitors fifth and May’s fourth, lobbing Lockyer, caught in no mans land – With less than five minutes remaining The Lingers had lost their two-goal advantage and were now facing a two-goal deficit.

On the stroke of injury time The Lingers were extremely unlucky as a goal-bound effort came off the near post with the scrambling Kamurasi clearing the danger from his own goal-line, then saving the follow-up from close range

As the game came to a conclusion May once again lobbed an exposed Lockyer but this time it went over the crossbar but the charmed life ended shortly after as Luke May curled a right footed effort in Lockyer’s top left hand corner to give the score-line a most bizarre read – From two goals up within a minute of the second half, The Lingers’ had capitulated to lose the game 6-3

So, a dead rubber, nothing to play for, and a nine-goal thriller with visiting striker Alfie May bagging four for himself – From start to finish this game had more of its fair share of entertainment and thrills and spills

Lingfield: Lockyer, Mwanza, Johnson, Clements, Dean, Warren, Rose, Kendirci, Kiernan, Alecsander, Shanny