Rampant Ronnie gives Lions the Holiday blues
GREEN LIONS’ unbeaten start to the season looked all but gone after just 15 minutes in south-east London yesterday afternoon.
That’s all it took for the self-proclaimed ‘Pride of East Surrey’ side to jump into a two-goal lead on their way to a 4-1 success which saw them climb into second place in the table.
A goal down inside five minutes – Ronald Sobowale punishing some slack defending – the Green Lions gave a first start of the season to Tom Strawbridge, while Saints junior Alex Scott took a spot on the bench alongside the returning Carlos Canha.
Whyteleafe had underlined their strength with a fine 2-0 FA Cup away win at a strong Cray Valley Paper Mills side on Saturday, and they were quickly two up again, Emmanuel Mensah doubling their lead after just 15 minutes.
Already it was a tall order for the Lions to get back into the game and it should have been even tougher, Antonio Walker-Barth missing a fantastic chance to make it 3-0 on 32 minutes.
An injured Keanu Marsh was replaced by Seb Skillen soon after and it wasn’t until 42 minutes in that GFC produced their first serious effort on goal, a chance the sub could not take.
For the second half Canha replaced Loaring but the situation only worsened as Sobowale got his second on the hour mark.
Ross Allen got one back from the spot and, for a moment, GFC thought they had a second as Fazakerley turned the ball in off the bar after great work by Allen.
Sadly, the linesman flagged for offside and soon after with Tobin making a defensive howler Sobowale completed his hat-trick to leave the visitors with two draws from their first three games.
Thirteen miles away in Wandsworth, Jersey Bulls were making it five wins from five in Combined Counties One where the Caesareans, remarkably, have yet to concede a goal.
In their second game of the Bank Holiday weekend the Bulls beat Westside with a single Luke Campbell goal.
This evening the Track and Blanche Pierre Lane stage two first round Jeremie Cup games.
At the Track Manzur meet Sylvans for the second time this season, while at BPL Saints host Rangers.
Two further Jeremie ties are scheduled for tomorrow evening, North v. Bels at Northfield and Vale Rec against Rovers at the Corbet Field.