24 February 2007 - League
Darkside 6 v Lower Green Res 1
Team: Andy, Adrian, Ant, Ben M, Ben S, Chris, Craig, Cullum, Ian, Phill, Tim
Goals: Ben M x3, Cullum x2, Tim / Assists: Cullum x2, Ben M, Craig, Phill? / MOTM: Ben M / MM: Their Keeper

After last weeks disappointing one nil loss to Westside Reserves, Darkside were determined to get their promotion push back on track. Down to the bare 11, Darkisde lined in a 4-4-2 formation, with Wright partnering Boyd in the heart of the defence and Saunders back at full back along with Harris. The midfield consisted of Austin and Neill on the right and left wings respectively, with Kingston and Kidwell in the middle and Gale partnered Mole up front.

Darkside started the game brightly but the breakthrough took a while in coming. Austin broke down the right hand side and delivered a pin-point cross that Mole headed home to give Darkside a deserved, but short lived, lead. Not long after, Lower Green Reserves equalised. A long ball over the top for once left their striker the wrong side of the Darkside defence and an early taken shot was placed low in the corner beyond the reach of Mayes.

After two straight losses the crowd, almost into double figures, must have began to wonder whether Darkside would be mentally strong enough to come back from this latest setback. But a team led by Tanna never lacks confidence and the Blues responded positively to the goal. Austin gave them a half time lead, poking through the legs of the on-rushing Lower Green Reserves keeper after Mole had slipped the ball through to him. Neill, full of running on the left of midfield, went agonisingly close to extending the lead, but his scuffed shot lacked power, something that is very very easily done.

Happy to go into half time in front, the introduction of Jaffa Cakes was the icing on the cake. Boyd has set himself high standards for the rest of the season, not just in his solid performances at the back but now in the half time snack department as well.

Darkside started the second half just as they ended the first. Austin continued to give the Lower Green Reserves full back a torrid time and after breaking free down the right he squared to Gale who coolly slotted the ball into the bottom corner giving Darkside a two goal advantage. The defence look comfortable and rarely threatened and it was no surprise when the lead was extended. Austin was again the provider in a some what fortuitous second goal for Mole. As he cut in from the right hand side his pull back to Gale was intercepted but deflected back into his path and Mole was able to volley home to virtually seal the game. Lower Green were fully aware of this fact and grew increasingly frustrated. A number of late changes by the away team were met with yellow cards by the no-nonsense referee and their frustration was increased further with two more classy goals.

Austin grabbed his second of the game by heading into the bottom corner, latching on to a superb lofted through ball from the middle by Kingston . The goal was almost a carbon copy of the winner scored against Hersham a few games earlier and put Austin at the top of the goal charts for the season. If the crowd thought Kingston 's assist was special, it was nothing compared to the through ball Neill was about to deliver from the left. His pass down the wing took out at least one Lower Green defender from the game and Mole matched the pass with a chipped effort from the edge of the box to claim a hat-trick, the second of his Darkside career.

The game ended in controversy, with the Lower Green keeper doing his Lille impression and almost leaving the field of play, while removing his shirt in protest to something that seemed to be unknown by both teams.

A welcome return to form by the Division Four promotion chasers, just in time for the double header against Claygate Royals. Two games of 60 minutes will be a big test for Tanna's Darkside but with the defence looking solid and the goals flowing again, the blues, or maybe whites/greys, will go into the game confident of getting a result(s).

Match report by: Ben M