Won 4-2
Scorers: S.Hurlow, B.Lawford, W.Curtiss (2)
MoM: James Davies
With thanks to team sponsor MMil http://www.batchelorcoop.co.uk
As the cost of fuel continued to spiral this week, so it was that the Batchelor-Coop Millers travelled to the first of two away games on consecutive weekends. Coincidentally, they also found themselves lighter on numbers, for the first time this season, with the skipper purportedly looking to his wife’s livery stables to provide some more economical transport for the trip to HSBC next week…
Starting with a novel 4-5-1 formation (not reflecting a lack of strikers but rather an example of the Captains visionary tactical nous), the visitors began with their standard high-press and were frequently able to turn-over possession deep in the Sittingbourne half. After creating some good opportunities, Simon ‘Hurlaand’ Hurlow eventually managed to emulate his hero but, crucially, on a much cheaper budget, by providing the opener. 1-0. Ben Lawford was able to add a surprise second with a very nice, and perfectly placed, drag-click from a short corner: the ‘surprise’ element coming courtesy of the initial pull-out which was intended to go to someone else; great reaction. 2-0.
Half-time was, therefore, an entirely positive affair with even the skipper grudgingly accepting that there weren’t many downsides to the first half.
Within five minutes of the restart Wilf had ‘helped’ Ben’s initial reverse-stick effort over the line, thus maintaining Dad JC’s mantra: ‘goals are like eggs, generally better poached than scrambled’! 3-0. Midway through the half and another nice counter-attack saw Wilf able to snag his second. 4-0.
The visitors briefly went down to ten-men, while Ben had a period of reflection on the naughty step. The home side made the most of their extra man to win and convert a short corner to pull one back. 4-1. Back-up to eleven but still under the cosh, another short corner resulted in a second for Sittingbourne. 4-2. Luckily, these were only to prove consolation goals though. Thanks to Tom for providing some valuable extra legs at short notice.