MANORBIER 3

HUBBERSTON 1

As foretold last week, Manorbier continued their upwards curve on Saturday with a resounding 3-1 home victory against Hubberston.

Manorbier's line-up, which historically has rotated more often than that of the Harlem Globetrotters, was actually showing signs of consolidation as the core of the team that had played the week before were once again present.

Crisp triangular football from the midfield quartet of Dean Hamilton, Neil Lane, Liam Culshaw and David Blackwell had the opposition at sixes and sevens, and it was Manorbier's number eight who opened the scoring.

Following a neat interchange with Culshaw, Blackwell took the ball from the halfway line, ghosted past a couple of defenders and then lashed a 25-yard screamer into the top left corner.

Manorbier's dominance continued through the first half, but they were frustrated on a number of occasions by both themselves and the Hubberston 'keeper.

Despite Andrew 'the long one' Joseph and James 'the skinny one' Hall combining well up front, the single goal was all that separated the teams as half-time approached.

Hubberston struck their equaliser with a somewhat farcical goal.

A free-kick from fully 45 yards was launched high into the Manorbier box and 'keeper Rob Brace raised his arms to take the ball, then, with no Hubberston players within a country mile, Brace decided to drop his hands to his side, only to watch the ball sail over his head straight into the net to make it 1-1 at the break.

Manorbier kicked off the second half with the determination to take all three points.

Their defensive platform was granite-like. Rob Sawyer was tenacious, Luke Askew was Baresi-like in his sang-froid under pressure, Phil McQueeny was strong in the tackle, and there is more culture in Rob Thomas's left foot than the whole of the National Art Gallery.

This solidity at the back allowed wave after wave of Manorbier attack to rattle the Hubberston defence, and after 20 minutes of constant pressure, it was Neil Lane who finally nudged Manorbier ahead with a simple tap-in at the end of a flowing move which could have been crafted on the training grounds of Barcelona.

The 'Bier were not however satisfied, and were determined not to let another victory slip through their fingers.

The win was finally sealed when James 'Skeletor' Hall burst through the Hubberston defence and drilled a shot into the bottom left-hand corner, with the goalkeeper stranded.

Late cameos from Jake Webster, Richard Atwell and Mike Brown were the icing on the cake.

There were high fives all round for the first victory of the season and a growing sense of optimism for the weeks ahead.