Match Report
Match Report - 24 Sep 2011, Old Modernians Football Club 3rds beat Heckmondwike
Heckmonwike…..0
Old Mods………..4
S. Astel
M. Campbell
M. Campbell
M. Campbell
The Old Mods made the long trip to Heckmondwike in high sprits following an impressive start to the season.
The visitors who have started so quickly in their previous two games where slow getting out the blocks and were slightly fortunate not to fall behind after a glaring miss that even had Binnsy asking the question “how did he miss that!”
Andy Hick had seen enough and decided to change the shape of his side, from an 4-3-3 to a more conventional 4-4-2. The change seemed to have an immediate impact as Mods looked to take the game to Heckmondwike. For all the neat football that had been played in the previous two matches the opening goal came form a long throw. Ryan Leadbitter hurled the ball right under the goalkeeper and in the following confusion; Stu Astel stole in to finish with both feet from 2 yards out.
The opening goal seemed to give the Mods more confidence and they played some swashbucklinly fantastic flowing football, Dan White and Stu Astel led the line well and were well supplied with ammunition from Adam Binns and Matty Campbell from the flanks while the back four and Sam Lawson dealt with everything else with consummate ease and assurance.
Matty Campbell decided to get in on the scoring act himself when another long throw wasn’t dealt with and the illusive wing man ghosted in at the back stick to head home from a yard out. It wasn’t long before Mods were troubling the scorers again when once again Matty Campbell found space at the back post where there was none and nodded in his second for the day.
Half time and the Cookridge outfit were coasting, the second half started much how the first finished, with the Mods on top and looking comfortable. The forth goal followed the same pattern as the previous 3. A cross from the right hand side caused mayhem in the 6 yard box, Stu Astall created space for himself to poke the cross goalwards. All the Mods players were already celebrating with Stu Astall, all except Matty Campbell, who hadn’t given up on ball and sprinted from the edge of the box, past the celebrating Astel and his team mates just managing to get to ball before it crossed the line, he then proceeded to finish emphatically himself and celebrate his hat-trick right in front of Astall, whose goal he had just unceremonial poached!
That was where the goalscoring ended, the further highlights were the introduction of the subs who all impressed when they were called upon.
All four goals were scored from a combined range of 3.1 yards but the performance will of please the manager and with an already impressive squad and with players set to return from injury it could provide the manager with a healthy selection head ache in forthcoming weeks.
After the match manager Andy Hick awarded his man of the match award to Matty Campbell for his hat-trick. However, the manager also had special praise for other members of his team, including Ryan Kerr, Jodie Lazenby Adam Binns and Tommy Stenger.
Heckmondwike 0 - 4 Old Modernians Football Club 3rds