Won 8-1
Scorers: W.Hanys (3), A.Barnes (2), N.Barnes (2), P.Sharratt
MoM: Will Hanys
With thanks to team sponsor MMil http://www.batchelorcoop.co.uk
The Batchelor-Coop Millers bagged the prime time 4pm slot on the show pitch this week, lining up against Marden in front of a capacity crowd.
Opening at a high tempo the Millers pushed forward with the youthful Henry, Archie and Will wreaking havoc amongst the Marden defence. It was not long before the home side were ahead when Archie Barnes unselfishly set his dad up for the opener (part of a lucrative ‘cash-for-crosses’ deal). Having assisted in the first Archie scored the second shortly after, with a neat spin in the D to fire home past the keeper.
The Marden forwards were being kept in check by Vinnie and Connor, alongside Nirpal, Pete and Dave in defence, creating an impenetrable barrier. This solid base allowed the Millers to attack relentlessly, and Will Hanys produced a third goal, with a deft flick over the keeper towards the end of the half.
The half-time talk centred around avoiding second half complacency. And minutes after the restart, a marauding Dave Upton run ended with a slick pass to Barnes (senior) at the top of the D, who turned and slotted past the keeper for 4-0. Will Hanys added a 5th, with a carbon copy of his earlier flick over the keeper.
Even when the home side found themselves temporarily down to nine players (a green and a yellow – thankfully stopping before the traffic light sequence reached red), the captain steadied the nerves with a 6th using one of his trade-mark ‘Sharratt straight-strike sidewinders’ from a short corner.
Archie Barnes got the 7th with another spin and smart finish past the keeper and Will Hanys scored a nice reverse for number 8. Marden hadn’t given up though and managed a late consolation goal. Overall, a great result and a deserved reward for a great performance from all the team, in particular the younger members demonstrating their speed, skill and excellent decision-making. Our thanks to both Phil and Charlie for officiating.