Phoenix Go Second After Hanna Power Play

Gower Phoenix – 6 Camden Athletic – 2

Gower Phoenix (4-4-2) Dan – Dens, Alex, Wall, Ell – Jono, Jon, Lucas, Miles – Muffdog, Bolu

The men of the Phoenix marched on with an emphatic victory over a far from poor Camden side. Playing an early 10am kick off on a lush 3G surface Gower’s line up saw the return of Dens, Jono, Jon, Dan and Muffdog to the side. With Treeno out with a serious knee injury, Alex Wright moved into the centre to partner The Wall who dropped back from midfield. Round pegs were in round holes in a team brimming with talent, and it showed.

Phoenix went 1-0 up early doors are good wing pressure forced a series of corners that Jono swung in from the left, eventually finding Alex Wright who finished with a solid header after leaving his marker for dust. With the Phoenix defence alert to the route one Camden attacks the team went 2-0 up after a surging Jon Hanna run was left unchecked, allowing the burly midfielder to finish past the small but nimble Camden keeper.

With a 2-0 lead however, the team fell into a slight lull and allowed Camden to dictate the pace of the match for a period of time that eventually saw them claw a goal back after Jono lost possession on the left and the defence, exposed as overstretched, were unable to pick up a Camden runner who finished easily past Dan, 2-1. Despite several good chances for Bolu, Muffdog and Jon the score remained 2-1 at half time.

Second half and the Phoenix began to turn the screw and began to play some of the most fluid football of its fledgling history. Jon Hanna after bursting onto the left flank hit a cross on the fall that dipped over the keeper from 30 yards out to make it 3-1 and give the team its comfort zone back. More pressure from the hardworking Bolu saw several more corners conceded by Camden, one of which was turned in at the far post by The Wall after a flick on from Lucas to make it 4-1. Then goal of the game saw some slick interchange between Dens, Hanna and eventually Miles who drove into the box and finished classily to make it 5-1.

Camden were a beaten side and found it hard to keep possession as the Phoenix harried across the pitch. Sam Coleman came on for Ell and Aaron Stone for Sumner, both players immediately getting in on the action with a series of hard tackles. Then after Muffdog was felled 25 yards out Dens hit a cannonball effort that the keeper did well to tip over, from the resulting corner Alex Wright pounced again to make it 6-1 and although Camden made it 6-2 with a long range lob over Dan the game was won.

Another successful result for the Phoenix then. In its inaugural season the team is in the Semi-Final of the Divisional Cup and is placed 2nd in the league with a game in hand. As the highlander adage goes however, ‘there can only be one’ team to be promoted and next Sunday sees us go head to head with the league leaders. Considering how hard we made life for Premier league opposition this is a challenge to be relished. Strength and Honour and bring on the tigers…

MOTM - Alex Wright – Assured on the ball, strong in the air and a commanding presence in the back line. Chipped in with two goals to prove his threat from set pieces, a valuable addition to the team.