Amateur Football Combination Premier Division

Enfield Old Grammarians 1 Old Meadonians 8

Old Meadonians leapfrogged over Honourable Artillery Company into third place in the table and thereby issued a warning with a hammering of Enfield Old Grammarians who were like lambs to the slaughter at their aptly named Parsonage Lane ground and now lie just above the danger zone as a result of their supine display on Saturday.

Rory Vermeulen, in sole charge, played a fluid four, five, one line-up, with the flying Ed Glover soloing up front in the absence of injured leading scorer Craig Jones and Fred Champion, on song with four in two games and the coach couldn’t ask for a better performance from his team who were red in tooth and claw, following an opening five minute false-dawn flourish by the hosts.

Enfield were soon under the cosh with John Shea just over with a header from a Ryan Bright cross and were behind on ten minutes as Aidan Chapman’s long throw was deflected in by the leaping Glover who was relishing the space he was given and eagerly took what was not readily donated. Almost immediately, in a move which typified the freedom with which the team played, left back Kevin Quinn popped up on the edge of the area, turned his man and, although illegally impeded, got the ball away for centre back Matt O’Sullivan to find the corner of the net clinically.

Now the referee decided to take a hand by awarding mystery penalty to the bewilderment of friend and foe but even this was no hindrance to the visitors, as another long Chapman throw was flicked on by Shea for Dave Brennan to stab in at the far post for Meads’ third and just before the break Bright escaped again down the right to pull his cross back for Shea to add a fourth with a volley from fifteen yards. On the restart there was to be no respite for the hosts as goals came at regular intervals. Meads’ fifth was from a delicate Brennan chip over a square defence for Glover to romp in and lob the stranded keeper.

Ten minutes on, under employed centre back Ali McCombe, not wishing to be left out, came forward to blast a thirty yard free-kick into the corner of the net for the sixth. Number seven came when Brennan was bundled over for Glover to complete his hat-trick from the spot and the rout was completed with five minutes to go when Mace’s deep corner was headed back into goal by Chapman. Ed Glover was named MoM.

Squad: Robinson, Pointer, McCombe, O’Sullivan, Quinn, Bright, Brennan, Chapman, Shea, Mace, Glover, Costello, Grahame, Nkem.

April 2, 2014