Gower Phoenix 8 Vs Good Mixer 1
After the disappointment of another cup penalties exit the week before, Gower Phoenix were happy to play their first competitive game at the school fields winning by a more than comfortable margin.
Phoenix lined up 4-4-2 – Dan – Dens, Treeno, Luke, Elliot – Muffdog, Lucas, Wall, Miles – Tim, Jon. This was an attacking team which welcomed back the silky skills of Matt Lucas from a knee injury and the never say die tackling of Elliot Moore at right back who’d returned from a back injury.
Good Mixer, who had proved a tricky opposition the week before against the allstars, were a couple of players short and borrowed Henry De’ath and Sam Coleman from the Phoenix.
The intent and organisation of the Phoenix was not long in paying dividends. Overwhelming in possession and with flanks bristling with energy the rout started early. Dens played Tim into the penalty box in the first five minutes and the striker skipped his way into a shooting position before finishing coolly; 1-0 Phoenix. Next up more pressure from the right from Miles, who saw a lot of the ball throughout, resulted in a clinical finish from Muffdog five yards out from goal on the left hand side; 2-0.
Henry, playing in Good Mixer white with his true Phoenix loyalties suppressed, then clattered into Muffdog’s ankle forcing him to come off and bringing Jake Emms into the game as a replacement left midfielder. Soon after good work again from Tim saw the ball spill out and Dens finish with aplomb with his RIGHT foot from 9 yards out; 3-0. Henry was in the thick of it once more, adjudged to have fouled Tim in the area, Luke ‘Wilco’ Hill stepped up to exorcise some demons and slot it in for a 4-0 lead. Tim added another cool finish to make it 5-0 Phoenix at half time.
Good Mixer improved in the 2nd half and Phoenix were guilty of over elaborative play. Both Miles and Jon missed good chances before Tim sealed his hat trick, bursting through and finishing with a solid strike; 6-0. Jon Hana’s persistent running paid off with a seventh before Tim made it eight with a self-described
‘Cantona-esq’ volley falling backwards after a corner was half-cleared; 8-0.
Good Mixer managed a lob finish to ruin Phoenix’s clean sheet but the game was well won. So despite the weakness of the opposition Phoenix played professionally and had some excellent passages of play. The team are now 9 points of the top of the league with 4 games in hand.
MOTM: Tim – Clinical finishing matched with a good work rate and willingness to track back on occasion. Highlights include the final goal and sliding into a large patch of mud right at the death.
