Diriso’s Hat-trick guides Sports through to Round 3

U14's Saturday Shield 

Hucknall Sports 4 Trowell 0

03/11/12   

Sports reward for a hard fought victory in the first round of the Shield was a home game against unbeaten Trowell Yellow of Division 2B.

Hucknall had the luxury of 16 players for the first time this season and decided to play the in-form Dante Diriso in partnership with dangerous lefty Jacob Barlow up front. Charles Blatherwick and Mitch Davies retained the central midfield slots after their stunning performance against Bottesford in the previous game and Sports got off to the perfect start when Diriso coolly slotted home after good work from Blatherwick within the first minute of the game. Trowell reverted to a lone striker and this allowed Hucknall’s Kieran Green to move forward into midfield and Ellis Evans to play a strike role. Green lapped up his new advanced position and provide a constant threat with some tremendous interplay with Evans and Jacob Barlow. Diriso slotted home his second after turning the opposition defence inside and out. Then Barlow played an incisive pass to split the back two of Trowell and Diriso pounce once more to smash his first hat-trick of the season (many more to follow).

Sports were well on top and Captain Joe Newton nearly got on the score sheet when he rose to power a Diriso corner just over the bar. Owen Everton also continue his great form and was unlucky to see wonderful run and shot just miss at the far post.

Good half for Sports and Diriso but special mention to the midfield boys for playing some great football and providing the platform for some great attacking moves.

Half time: Hucknall Sports 3 Trowell 0

All change after half-time saw Sports introduce James Hallam, Ryan Towle, Tom Eastwood, Ollie Bowley and new signing Matt Leivers. Understandable Hucknall took a little while to adjust but the chances eventually started to flow. Hallam was unlucky to see his one-on-one just slip by the far post. Eastwood continued where Barlow had left off and trust down the left side time and again. Leiver’s ‘showed’ for the ball time and again and initiated one of the best moves of the game when Keeper Orton rolled the ball to him on the edge of his penalty area. Leivers drew his man and found Evans, Evans fed Towle who played a wonderful ball into Bowley who put a first time cross into Hallam but his shot was scrambled away by the Trowell Keeper at the last minute.

Long shots from Towle and Blatherwick tested the keeper once more and he pushed more efforts on to the woodwork to keep the score down. Eventually Sports did find the back of the net when Hallam won the ball in a challenge with the keeper and Eastwood took advantage to drive the ball home for his 6^th goal of the season. Still time for a Blatherwick special that grazed the cross-bar and Bowley’s late corner also clipped the woodwork before going over.

Referee Walters blew his whistle for full-time with Sports wanting more but happy in the knowledge that they are through to the next round of the Shield.

Full time:  Hucknall Sports 4 Trowell 0

After 2 consecutive 4-4 draws in the league Sports defence went into the game determine to keep a clean sheet.

The concentration of Green, Smith, Newton, Stenson and Leivers was clear for all to see and they never really looked troubled throughout the entire game – well done boys.

In centre midfield Davies, Blatherwick and Towle controlled everything.

Sports could have had more goals but all credit to Trowell for keeping going and in particular to their goalie who had a fantastic game.

Man of the Match was a choice between Barlow, Green and Diriso with the latter taking the award for the second week running after a great first half hat-trick and tremendous attacking play throughout - Well done Dante.

This was a ‘good’ performance, not ‘great’. The boys know that they are capable of playing better and will need to if they want to progress further in this competition.