Sat 7th April Heslington FC 5 - 2 Malton & Norton FC

Match 27 saw the Outganger’s host Malton & Norton FC, a team we had beaten 2-0 away earlier in the season. Despite this result, the East Yorkshire side have had some impressive results recently against formidable opposition, so there was no indication of what type of side we were up against. One thing was for sure … it was a must win game for Heslington’s push for survival.

Coach Seymour started of with a 4-4-2 formation, with Pete Vince returning to right back for Will Robertson, who had been called back to his native Scotland for Active service in the Royal Dragons 54th Platoon. Dan Walters and Tom Sellars held on to their starting positions from last week, whilst the coach opted to leave his two most influential play-makers on the bench.

Heslington started off the brighter of the two sides, with Casper Walters going close twice in the first 10 minutes with headers! The visitors looked unorganised as they began to look stretched, Heslington broke through on several occasions but poor runs from both Walters and Dickinson saw the Outgangers rack up 12 offsides in the first 8 minutes. After waves of attacks, it was skipper Paul Clark who broke the deadlock after 15 minutes from a corner. The Iranian War Horse bundled Coxon out of the way to head home from 6 yards out. There was a suspicion of an own goal but no-one dare say anything to Clarky. First blood Heso!

Heslington made it 2-0 shortly afterwards, with a neat take down and lay off from Stuart Dickinson. Dan Walters bundled home from close range dispite the keeper’s efforts. The ‘White Assassin’ was keen to run to the home bench to celebrate his 10th goal of the season.

On the half hour mark it was Si Newby who made it 3-0, running through the Malton defence, it looked like he was going to get muscled off the ball, but the man they call ‘Green Socks’ held off both defenders, the keeper could only palm his left footed strike into the top corner of the net! Heslington were running riot!!!

What was looking like a great 1st half for Heslington got even better, when in the 39th minute a poor pass back to the Malton keeper was intercepted by Casper Walters, who flicked over the keeper and had ample time to take the ball under control with 6 touches, and blast home from 1 yard with his lucky 7th! That was Dan Walters 184th goal in the Leeper Hare Football League, which makes him the Jewish all-time top-scorer, beating the previous record of 183 goals held for 63 years by Marton cum Grafton’s Josef Schindler (1917 – 1944).

Half-time 4-0.

After a well earned rest and inspired team talk, Heso headed back out onto the pitch aiming to turn the 4-0 into an 8-0. Needless to say, things didn’t go to plan. In the 51st minute a ball over the top was spilt by Willis rushing out of goal, with the defender getting in his way, the ball fell kindly to the Malton striker, who passed into an empty net from 20 yards. That was an incentive Heso didn’t want to give the Malton side to get back into the game.

In the 55th minute a wayward ball was well saved by the left back Andy Lee diving to his left, conceding a foul for hand ball needlessly. The resulting free kick was launched into the Heslington area, the keeper came to punch clear but missed, Coxon lost his marker who peeled off to head in at the back post. With the scoreline now 4-2, the Heslington crowd began to lose patience and began booing Willis and Lee for their errors.

Having found a weakness in the Heslington armour, Malton continued pumping long balls into the box. The Heslington back 4 coped with the aerial threat well, whilst calamity Willis remained disciplined and rooted to his line.

In the 67th minute Coach Babba made his first change. Casper Walter’s who had been non existent in the 2nd half, was actually off the pitch still celebrating his 2 goals and carrying out an interview with the Evening Press, when he was replaced by Nick James. ‘Jaymo’ moved into midfield to make a 4-5-1 formation.

The Malton side continued playing long balls into the Heslington penalty area but as time ran out so did their ideas. In the 83rd minute the game was put beyond doubt, as Newby played Dickinson in on the left who closed in on goal, had Jaymo and Rhino square but opted to shoot and rifled in Heslington’s 5th from 22 yards.

Heslington’s man of the Match was Si Newby, who scored, got 2 assists and was part of most of our attacks. This win now leaves Heslington needing 1 point from their remaining 2 fixtures against Dunnington and Nestle to stay up.

MATCH RATINGS

GK Ben Willis 7

LB Andy Lee 7
CB Paul Clark 9
CB Ben Coxon 8
RB Peter Vince 8

LM Simon Newby 9
CM Ian Proctor 9
CM Adam Hetherton 8
RM Tom Sellars 7

CF Danny Walters 7
CF Stu Dickinson 8

Sub 1 Nick James 7
Sub 2 Nick Fenton (Surplus to requirements)
Sub 3 Matt Birkitt (Surplus to requirements)