Valence 1st Xl win mind games

Sutton Valence started brightly and made the most of their early opportunities scoring twice in the first 10 minutes. Conversely the visitors were slow to get going. Kevin Kirkham scored first for the home team on 2 minutes, rounding the final defender and, for a change striking on his strong side launching the ball into the top right. Mitchell followed 8 minutes later. A superb ball in from Brett Angel threaded between three defenders and met by a falling Lewis Mitchell who had tripped over his shoe lace and only scored by virtue of not letting go of his stick as he threw his arm out to break the fall.
The second goal stirred the visitors into action, who then dominated the rest of the half. Unbelievably though despite several goal scoring opportunities and short corners the south Londoners were denied through some solid defending from Russell Blanchard, Rob Bray, Chris Back, Dan Brooks and Ryan Robinson and some amazing and unorthodox goal keeping from man of the match Stewart Young.
The visitors started the second half where they left the first. Early pressure led to a short corner which was only stopped by Mitchell’s foot on the line. Young was unlucky not to pull off an amazing diving save from the subsequent p-flick getting a glove to the ball before it found the top corner.
If the visitors had hoped this was the start of their fight back, they were to be disappointed. Led by Fred McVarish, the midfield stepped up a gear and mounted attack after attack on the away team. Brett Angel, Marius Dreyer and Jack Davies came close to scoring but were denied by some smart saves from the away keeper. It took the home side half of the second period to score again but in a brutally clinical 14 minutes they netted 4 times. Mitchell scored his second, deflecting McVarish’s cross into the post but luckily the rebounding ball bounced off the bottom of his stick into the open goal as he lay prostrate on the ground. Kirkham got his second shortly after, a straight strike from a short corner. Mitchell converted his brace into a hat-trick although most deemed his additional touch from Blanchard’s goal-bound shot unnecessary. Still, the hat-trick stands and a jug is owed. Kirkham also completed his hat-trick minutes later with overly flamboyant and unnecessary reverse shot. Mitchell had an opportunity late on to take his goal count to 4 but instead chose to hurtle himself into the rushing keeper and ricochet spectacularly to the ground in what is becoming his signature move.
Final score 6-1
Goals: Kevin Kirkham (3) 2, 57, 66; Lewis Mitchell (3) 10, 52, 62
MoM: Young - airborne masterclass
DoD: Mitchell - airborne antics

Team: Stewart Young, Russell Blanchard, Ryan Robinson, Rob Bray, Dan Brooks, Jack Davies, Fred McVarish, Lewis Mitchell, Chris Back, Brett Angel, Marius Dreyer, Kevin Kirkham.
Umpire: Andrew Wishart

Match Report by Stewart Young.

Next week the 1st Xl are away against Blackheath & Elthamians 3rd Xl