First Half:
The first home game in New Russellers' history had to produce a win on what was a good quality pitch, so what better way to start off by going a goal behind! A missed clearance led to their striker picking up the ball inside the box and putting it away, despite the early pressure from the home side. This going behind malarkey has been consistent in every game Russellers have played in so far. 1-0.
Pressure continued from the home side however, especially some meaty challenges which led to a few remarks from both side, with Callum Stapley getting involved in the bulk of the mess. This clearly had the away side angered with cries to the referee from every challenge. Chances from the home side were coming but not going in, until a ball was floated in and it dropped onto the hand of the defender, leaving the ref no choice but to award a penalty. Ben Dos Santos stepped up, and as usual, put it deep into his favourite corner despite the weird positioning of the goalkeeper. 1-1!
This looked like a game the home side were capable of taking into their own hands, so when a ball came into the box, Benjamin Lovell was on hand to flick the ball with his head into the far corner of the goal, 2-1!
Second Half:
The half started as Russellers ended the first; strong, attacking football, causing problems for Punjab United. Changes had been made and the fresh arrivals wasted no time in using their energy to make the away team's life helll with a pace injection. Conor Boud picked the ball up on the left, made a surging run before releasing Serkan Ozdemir, who chose to shot from range, forcing the keeper to punch the ball away, but only into the path of 3 Russellers players, who all went for the goal but Oliver Brown nicked it just ahead of Conor Boud and Liam McCrory to toe poke the ball in, almost missing in the process. 3-1!
Moments later, Kurtis Dillon, who had just come on, made an inch perfect pass which found Oliver Brown onside to place the ball into the net past the charging goalkeeper. 4-1!
Finally, not long after the fourth goal, a lovely exchange was made from Tom Kerby to Kurtis Dillon, to Matthew Brittle, to Oliver Brown, who rounded the defender who tried to shield the ball into his keeper's hands, to have nicked the ball past the goalkeeper. 5-1 to complete the hat-trick, and immediately substituted off as a reward!
All game one particular Punjab United player was being a pest, so it all nearly kicked off when Reece Churcher was elbowed in the face late after making a pass, sending him to the ground with a thud. Tempers flared and with Duff's style of play, took his revenge and clattered the same guy, although he probably wishes he got a bigger challenge in. A few more chances were made by the home side, but the score remained 5-1, and the whistle blew!
First 3 points on the board for Russellers, made bittersweet by the shock loss of the previous week but it has kickstarted the possible charge in form from the squad. Onto the next game at Riverview United!
