Gorkana returned to winning ways with a spectacular victory over Burston Marsteller last night.
The five Gorkanaites were supplemented by two ringers for the occasion, and this team gelled superbly to devastating effect.
Whilst Burston Marsteller were not a bad team as such, the precision passing and hardworking movement off the ball seemed to provide plenty of space and time for Gorkana, and every pass found a blue shirt in acres of room. The first of six goals was capped off by the outstanding Kris Mondal in a splendid move starting deep in Gorkana territory. A square ball from Tom Foley at right back to Ed
Worthington at left back was passed up field for James Liddell in the centre, typically calm and composed on the ball. His lay off to Oli Bridge on the left gave the pacy winger space to cross into the feet of Kris Mondal to smash the ball past the visiting keeper.
Gorkana, looking imminently dangerous from all over the pitch, doubled their tally shortly thereafter through Kris once again, before he grabbed an assist in another flowing move for the team’s third. Once Oli collected a pass from the left flank, his first touch with the outside of his right boot controlled the ball; his second curled it around the keeper into the right hand top corner. The 3-0 scoreline was bringing some much needed confidence to Gorkana’s game, and the hard luck of previous weeks was banished!
However, it was Burston who next managed to get on the scoresheet with a simple goal from a short corner when a green shirt took a pass to the edge of the box and shot hard across the face of goal.
Hope of a comeback was shortlived though, for that man Kris Mondal was at it again. Gorkana’s star performer was able manufactured himself some space on the edge of the box, turning to face the keeper. A cheeky dummy saw the keeper fooled and after he dived the wrong way, Kris free to lofted the ball into an empty net to secure his first half hat trick.
Burson Marsteller now adopted a cavalier all attack approach, but this ploy worked to Gorkana’s advantage. Solid in the tackle with Ed in particular taking no prisoners (only silky touches), the team were able to soak up the pressure and could break forward unchecked with several counter attacks which should arguably have further extended their lead.
That matter seemed only a question of time, and as was the case throughout the evening, the damage was done through Kris. A pass from the left flank perfectly dissected the defence and his sidefoot and spin off away from the box presented Ed, charging up from central midfield, with a one-on-one shot at the keeper to finish with consummate ease box and wrong foot his opponent in the process.
The final goal game from James Liddell, who waltzed his way around the right back, jinxed the centre back and blasted low across into the corner of the goal.
A fantastic display from the Gorkana, whose teamwork made great advantage of the space on the pitch and manmarked the Burston players out the game.
Man of the match: hat-trick hero and double-assistee, Kris Mondal, involved in (at least) 5 goals. Powerful!
