Brocton defeated in 8 goal thriller

Saturday 17^th January

Capelli Sport MFL Premier Division

Brocton 3 Lye Town 5

Brocton entertained Lye Town in their first game since Boxing Day, a 22 day break. The sides were first and second in the form table with Brocton on the back of six straight victories.

Brocton almost made the perfect start when Reg Smith was just about shielded away from goal inside 30 seconds. In the second minute, Christian Blanchette shot to the near post, the ball completely evading Lye keeper Gael Mfuamba and rebounding off the post. Seconds later, Brocton took the lead. Blanchette beat Mfuamba to a high ball and headed the ball into the empty net. Brocton were completely on the front foot and a run and shot from Josh Simcox forced Mfuamba to palm behind for a corner. In the ninth minute, a deep corner from Connor Haddaway found brother Ben and he curled a shot just wide. Brocton should have made it two on the quarter hour mark. Reg Smith sent Morgan Payne clear, and one-on-one with Mfuamba, it was the Lye keeper that saved with his feet. Lye’s first attempt came from Alfie Steward, but this attempt was wayward. Brocton made it two in the 25^th minute. A superb cross from Connor Haddaway was met perfectly by the head of Blanchette and his header flew into the far corner. At this stage, it felt as though goals were going to come with every attack. Connor Haddaway played the ball into the path of Payne. His lay-off to Reg Smith was inviting but the shot was blocked. Lye first clear chance of the game fell to Tyler Smith and his shot cleared the crossbar when he should have hit the target. This was a brief respite for Lye as Brocton continued to create chances. Payne screwed another shot wide before both Blanchette and Payne failed to convert a well delivered cross from Reg Smith from within the 6-yard box. Brocton were made to pay as Lye pulled a goal back in the 38^th minute. The ball was played inside Simcox, Alfie Didlock ran on to it and hit a shot past George Scott into the roof of the net. In stoppage time, Reg Smith played the ball into Payne and his shot on the turn was saved by Mfuamba. A minute later, Blanchette tried another near post shot, this time Mfuamba made a comfortable save.

Half-Time: Brocton 2 Lye Town 1

Lye came out in the second half with the momentum from their late goal and went close through an effort from Didlock. Lye were having far more of the play, but it was Brocton that extended their lead in the 57^th minute. A through ball picked out the run of Payne, who advanced on goal and finished clinically for his fourth goal in four games. If Brocton thought that the goal would subdue the visitors, they couldn’t have been more wrong. Lye grabbed their second in the 64^th minute. The Brocton defence failed to clear their lines and Olly Shaw hit a low shot into the corner of the net. Less than ten minutes later, the visitors levelled the score. A cross from Matt Saunders was headed home by the unmarked Shaw. Lye now had the wind in their sails, and they took the lead in the 76^th minute. More poor defending allowed a cross to reach Didlock at the far post and he again found the net with a crisp shot. Goal number five for Lye followed two minutes later. A low cross from Saunders hit Natty Dixon and went into the net, completely wrongfooting Scott in the Brocton goal. Brocton failed to make any impression on the Lye defence and the best chance for another goal came from Tyler Smith who forced an excellent save from Scott.

Full-Time: Brocton 3 Lye Town 5 Attendance:152

Brocton: George Scott, Levi Reid (Jake Danan 63), Josh Simcox (Lucas Green-Birch 75), Kenny Devoir (Charlie King 83), Cooper Marsh, Ben Haddaway, Christian Blanchette (Dylan Millington 67), Jake Thomas, Reg Smith, Connor Haddaway, Morgan Payne. Sub (Not Used): Toby Smith

Lye Town: Gael Mfuamba, Elliott Ball, Taine Garner (Matt Saunders 45), Olly Shaw, Lewis Collins, Martin Slevin, Alfie Steward (Leo Gouveia 58), Ewan Edwards, Tyler Smith, Natty Dixon, Alfie Didlock (Ethan Moran 87). Subs (Not Used): Jobee Mills, Danny Cartwright

Yellow Cards: Reid, Reg Smith (Brocton); Tyler Smith (Lye Town)