Harby Fully Loaded
Against the odds AFC West End kept the Great Escape on the cards by extending their unbeaten run to three matches in this evening fixture on the West Common. A hat-trick from Jack McDonnell gave the Beers all three points in a hard fought victory over Harby United.
West End didn’t start this game well and Harby had the best of the posession and territory in the opening twenty minutes but they were struggling to create genuine chances. Christian Sales was sweeping his area well, whilst when they did create chances Harby were off target, notably with a couple of headers from corners.
The Beers had a good chance to take an unlikely lead in this period as Rich Vickers squared for Jack McDonnell but he fired wildly off target. Steadily West End came into the game though and went ahead through Jack McDonnell as he latched onto a ? through ball and finished well to make it 1-0. Before the break The Beers went onto double their avantage and it was McDonnell who struck again, this time fed by ?, but again leaving the keeper with no chance.
Into the second half and Harby forced their way back into the game as they pulled back a comical goal. Sales coming out to clear his lines had a swing and a miss at the ball on the edge of his area allowing Steve Gilliet in to finish in the empty net for the visitors. Both sides had chances in the following minutes but it was West End who capitalised, McDonnell completing his hat-trick with a well taken finish to make it 3-1.
The Beers had a number of chances to add to their lead in the closing minutes, with Jack McDonnell denied by the keeper, his brother Sam firing high and wide late on and Mike O’Keefe within inches of rounding off a neat flowing move as he flung himself at a far post cross, but by then the damage had been done. West End within two points of safety, having doubled their season’s points tally in just three games.
AFC West End line-up (4-4-2); Christian Sales; Martin Robinson, Joe Harper, Rich Brown, James Dewhurst; Dane Vincent (Sam McDonnell), Glen Wilson, Rich Vickers (James Trafford), Rob Davies; David Capps, Jack McDonnell (Mike O’Keefe)
Man of the Match: Jack McDonnell (8 and a half votes), David Capps (3 and a half), Rob Davies (3), Rich Brown (2), Joe Harper (1)
Dick of the Day: Christian Sales (9 votes), Sam McDonnell, Martin Robinson (2), Rich Brown, Rob Davies, Jack McDonnell, Rich Vickers, Iain Dowie, Atletico Madrid (1)
