CLANFIELD'S Russell Noble got their season off to a good start with an impressive hat-trick to record a good 5-1 drubbing of Team Solent on the opening day of the season.
Noble didn't waste any time, getting on the scoresheet in the first minute t
o set Clanfield on their way. He raced onto a long ball from defence to fire home from 10 yards out.
Team Solent looked shaky in the first 20 minutes and Clanfield should have increased their lead, but neat football wasn't matched by finishing. Clanfield eventually doubled their lead in the 28th minute when Mike Prew hit an unstoppable right-foot shot from 25 yards after good work from Darren Ferguson.
Team Solent defended well to keep the score to 2-0 at the break.
They started the second half with more purpose and got a goal back within 14 minutes. A mix-up in the Clanfield defence conceded a soft goal, the Team Solent forward tapping in from close range.
Straight from the restart Clanfield restored their two-goal lead. Ollie Todd played in Noble for his second with a 15-yard shot low to the keeper's right.
Clanfield then handed striker Craig Newman his debut and it didn't take him long to make a telling contribution. He played a delightful ball from the edge of the area for Matt Cooke to stroke into the top corner in the 75th minute to make it 4-1.
With Clanfield now in total control Noble rounded off a fine performance to complete his hat-trick in the 85th minute.
Clanfield manager Rob Coldrick said: "It's always nice to get the season off to a good start and scoring a few goals is always a bonus – all this without striker Harry Potter who was on holiday for today's game.
"It goes to show that we are full of riches in this department and the season is going to be very interesting."
Clanfield travel to Fleetlands tonight (6.30pm) and have two home games this weekend. On Saturday they meet QK Southampton (3pm) and on bank holiday Monday Overton (11am).
Clanfield: Wiseman, Linkhorn, Browne, Tidy, Firbank, Pettit, Prew, Todd, Ferguson, Noble, Cooke, Newman. Subs: Selway, Buckley.
The full article contains 379 words and appears in PP-Post Edition newspaper.
