Foley 1 Stone Dominoes 6: Staffordshire County Senior League Div 1, Wednesday 19th August: Stone Dominoes put the disappointment of Saturday’s opening day defeat firmly behind them as they comprehensively put six past Foley to pick up their first points of the campaign.
First half goals from Shane Lindop, Ash Cooper, Lewis Adams and Tom Broadhurst had given Dominoes a healthy half time lead, before Broadhurst and Cooper completed the victory after the interval.
Joint manager Kyle Adams concluded: “It was a good response after Saturday and we played some super football at times, deserved the goals, and the scoreline could, and probably should, have been even more emphatic than it was. The only disappointments were maybe the ten minute spell we had in the first half where we let our tempo drop and the fact that we couldn’t quite manage a clean sheet.”
Dominoes started brightly, clearly looking to play with more intensity and purpose than Saturday, and Shane Lindop was first to test the Foley goalkeeper but his shot was dealt with comfortably. Early pressure told after just 12 minutes though, as Marcus Thorp slid in Lindop, who finished superbly by lifting the ball over the oncoming Foley keeper.
The away side were piling on the pressure and creating numerous chances. On 20 minutes, Endon Adams ventured forward down the right and found Lewis Adams in the middle, his blocked shot falling to Ash Cooper, who made no mistake firing the ball into the top corner to double the lead. It was 3-0 just 4 minutes later when a clearance by the hosts’ goalkeeper was directed straight to Lewis Adams 40 yards out. His quick thinking resulted in a first time strike towards goal, which the back peddling goalkeeper could only get a hand to, as it incredibly found the top corner.
Rather than throw in the towel, the home side rallied in an attempt to find a way back into the game. A good 10 minute spell saw them maintain possession better as Dominoes seemed to allow them more time and space to let them play some attractive football. Despite their attempts though, they could not create any clear cut chances and had to settle with forcing a couple of corners and a long range effort that was dealt with comfortably by Craig Bould.
With 10 minutes left in the half the visitors began to increase the intensity again and had a chance to increase their lead when Ash Cooper was bundled over in the penalty area. Tom Broadhurst stepped up but could only strike the top of the crossbar with his penalty attempt. He was to make amends a few minutes later on the stroke of half time, as he took advantage of a poor backpass to challenge the goalkeeper and slide the rebound into an empty net to make it 4-0.
The Dominoes management spoke of their disappointment at the way the team started the second half on Saturday but they could have no complaints here as they pushed for more goals and were awarded a second penalty on 50 minutes as Lindop was brought down. It was Cooper this time who took on the responsibility and found the bottom corner.
The away side were beginning to enjoy keeping hold of the ball and on 57 minutes Broadhurst doubled his tally for the evening as he drove the ball through the goalkeepers legs to make it 6-0 after being played through by Cooper. It was nearly seven a minute later as a superb Endon Adams cross was met by the head of Lindop, who saw the home goalkeeper spring fantastically to his right to keep out his effort.
It was Foley who were to hit the net next though, as with Dominoes pushing forward, a quick break down the left ended in Josh Clayton playing the ball across the edge of the box to Cam Conway, who took a touch before bending the ball into the far corner of the net.
With the game all but won and no doubt with Saturday in mind, Dominoes rung the changes just after the hour mark, and it was a substitute Greg Stevenson who went close with a long range effort, before another, Joss Myatt, saw his header drift agonisingly wide past the post. There was just time for another quick break from Foley which saw Carrenton Turner race through one on one but he was denied well by goalkeeper Bould.
Dominoes will look to build on the victory on Saturday as they return to Yarnfield to host Walsall Phoenix in a 2.30pm kick-off.
[box type=”info” align=”aligncenter” ]Stone Dominoes: Bould (c), E.Adams, James, Hazleton, Thorp, Steele, Hughes, L.Adams (Nellis 63), Lindop (Stevenson 68), Cooper, Broadhurst (Myatt 63). Subs not used: Farrow, Marsh[/box]
