Vale Rec storm to crucial victory over Rovers
Rovers had hopes of keeping their league season alive when they sought a switch to the KGV 3G on Saturday afternoon with Port Soif, as with every other local ground, waterlogged.
But those prospects were blown away in a 5-0 defeat to an in-form Vale Rec hungry for goals.
The champions dominated play for most of the match after they took only six minutes to open the scoring in the weekend’s only FNB Priaulx League fixture.
Will Fazakerley brought down Jacob Masterton-Pipet’s corner and fired goalwards and Louis Travis got the final touch to divert past Rovers goalkeeper Adam Bullock.
Rovers had the advantage of the wind at their backs in the first-half but could not convert any of their chances.
Within a minute of the opener, they had a chance to equalise, as Priaulx League player-of-the-month Charlie Platt took a shot from outside of the box, which was assisted by the wind, but Vale Rec reserve goalkeeper Joe Wright, in for Christian Povall, saved well.
Vale continued to pose a threat from dead ball deliveries, and on 20 minutes Seb Skillen got a shot away from a corner but Bullock blocked and then saved the follow-up from a goalmouth scramble.
But five minutes later Fazakerley doubled their advantage, volleying home a cross from Damien Larkin.
And the game was effectively over before half-time when Marlon Jardim’s strike from distance beat Bullock into the bottom left corner of the net.
The second half continued in the same vein.
Fifty-one minutes in it was four following an unfortunate own goal, which came from another dangerous corner from Masterton-Pipet, before Jardim claimed his second of the day not long after. He was set up nicely by young Kaden Leadbeater, who was involved in plenty of defensive and attacking action, and hit a great shot that Bullock could not get anywhere near.
Platt tried again to pull one back for his team 60 minutes in, but his effort went just wide of the right post.
As Rec rang the changes the game rather petered out, Wright saving comfortably from Blair Howitt late on in the best of the chances.
At one stage it looked improbable, but Rec have now moved to the top of the Priaulx League, three points clear of St Martin’s, but they have played four fewer games than the new leaders.
