Horley Hammered

Like Valley in recent weeks Horley pressed hard from the off. They soon got into a good rhythm and were knocking the ball round as Valley struggled to stop yawning such was the time of the early push back.

After a failed Valley attack, as Horley were restarting, JC intercepted a ball to the left back and scampered into the D between the two defenders. As the keeper advanced, he dummied right and sent the ball past the keeper into the bottom left hand corner. Valley had taken the lead very much against the run of play.

Shortly afterwards, Sumit broke down a Horley attack and knocked the ball onto John, who relesed JC in the inside right channel. Picking out Stuarts run, he knocked the ball past the defender into the D. Stuart steadied himself before expertly smacking the ball into the net.

Valley continued to have the better chances in the remainder of the half. Firstly, Stuart flashed a ball across the goal line that JC only just missed, and Thomas was even closer. On the next Valley attack, Newts toyed with the ball as if it was a bouncy ball, and with the grace of Nureyev, leapt around the goalkeeper before creaming the ball just past the post. Thomas showed excellent reactions to get out of the way as it flew at him at about chest height.

Horley then stepped up a gear and forced a few short corners which came to nothing as Fisher and Bacon marshalled the line. Bomber, deputising for Chipfat, even had to be out smartly to kick the ball to safety.

In the half-time interval the Horley Hobbit was heard asking if they could have a goal for every 10 times he put the ball through Biddle's legs. Fortunately, this was declined as Valley would have suffered a 4 - 7 defeat.

As the second half continued, the play was very open with Valley looking the more likely to score. Apart from one particular short corner which fizzed narrowly wide, the Horley attacks which were worryingly numerous, were not really threatening Bomber's goal. Alex and John were combining well on the right and the two went steaming up the wing and played the ball into the center where the desperate Horley defence only just managed to clear. Alex's discipline fro teh second week running was excellent and he freed John to push forward safely in the knowledge that Alex was behind him.

Valley had the lions share of the chances, but couldn't add to their tally, with JC wasting a good chance, Newts came close ot registering his first goal with a powerful shot that was deflected high into the air and just past the post. On another attack, Newts couldn't get the ball out from under his feet and with a pirouette better suited to Stricly Ballromm dancing was penalised for not having glittery enough shoes.

With just over two minutes to go Valley completed the scoring. Sumit and John traded passes before John advanced on goal, slipping the ball beyond the defender where JC collected and slipped it to a waiting Stuart on the P spot for him to fire it into the goal and complete his hat-trick.

Valley thoroughly deserved the victory ina good mannered game. One of the Horley players was unlucky to be hit with the ball on the side of his head, by one of his own team-mates. We hope his headache was not too bad the next morning.

Thanks to Fisher and Gerry for umiring a half each

[Ed: Thanks to JC for the match report ]