Kesh hit six in latest victory
Thursday, 4 December 2008
NFC Kesh 6. Churchill Utd 2.
DESPITE not playing to their fluent best on Saturday, NFC Kesh still managed to find the net six times in a four-goal victory over Churchill United to move closer to the top of the Northern Ireland Intermediate League.
A brace apiece from Alan Johnston and Mark Jones, an own goal and a screamer from Declan McKeever, gave Shane O'Brien's side the three points, although they did make life difficult for themselves in the opening hour.
“We got off to a flying start, taking the lead inside 30 seconds, but they equalised, despite not having done much until then.
“Even at half-time when we weren't playing that well, I wasn't that worried and after they equalised for a second time, we started to play a bit."
Kesh got off to the perfect start as straight from the kick-off a long punt forward allowed Nicky Noble to flick on for Jones to round the keeper with barely 30 seconds on the clock.
With Jones and Noble then spurning two decent chances, it was Churchill who surprisingly scored next when a speculative 35-yard effort flew over Jerome Carleton for an equaliser.
The hosts kept pressing, though, and they were rewarded with a second goal before the break. Nathan Cashel's corner from the right was attacked by Callum Funston and Nicky Irvine, but a visiting defender deflected the ball into his own net to send Kesh ahead again.
A sloppy start to the second half allowed Churchil to equalise for a second time, but in the last half hour Kesh weighed in with four goals to comfortably seal the points.
Johnston grabbed his second of the game when he tapped in the rebound from a Jones shot and Jones secured his brace a short time later, with a neat finish from a tight angle, after exploiting space in the inside right channel.
Four became five a short time later with the move of the game. Tony Glenn found Johnston on the left and he beat a defender, before passing to Jones. The striker played a first time back heel into the path of Johnston, who slotted home.
The sixth then arrived when McKeever struck a venemous volley from 30 yards after an attempted clearance from the visiting defence.
Late on, with Jones and Johnston both on hat-tricks, another chance came for Kesh when the latter sprinted into the box from the right channel, but with Johnston square and free, the striker went for glory, but blazed over.
On Saturday NFC Kesh host table-toppers, Strabane, with a 2pm kick-off.
