GODOLPHIN RESERVES v FOXHOLE

[Darin Morse]

Foxhole complete their pre-season programme with a visit to Godolphin Reserves tonight (c. 6.30pm).

[Darin Morse]

Godolphin Reserves 1 Foxhole 5

Tuesday 16th August 2011

Four more goals from the effervescent Richard Griffin ensured this potential banana skin was safely negotiated, although his current rich scoring vein only makes his suspension from the first two league games all the more frustrating. Nevertheless, his partnership with Upton shows real signs of promise, while there were accomplished debuts for Stephen and Thomas in defence and welcome returns for Trudgian, Forde and Gotthardt, although it remains to be seen how many of these will turn out on Saturday and beyond.

After an opening quarter hour when Godolphin threatened to capitalise on the appreciable slope, Griffin calmed visiting nerves with a close range tap in after Holland had flicked on Upton's inswinging corner. The marine ought to have doubled his tally five minutes later but his attempted chip when clean through was easily smothered by Berry, who was then grateful to watch efforts from both Kenny and Upton fly inches too high. However, on 34, Gotthardt's searching cross field ball was cleverly pulled back by Kenny for Griffin to rifle into the corner, and, four minutes later, uncertain defending from Shephard let in Upton, whose shot was parried into the path of Griffin to complete his hat-trick. Within moments, the marine had spurned his chance of a fourth by lobbing both the keeper and the bar when well-placed, following a fantastic pass by Spaul, but the Foxes surely realised during their half time break (taken five minutes early by the hobbling referee) that there yet would be abundant opportunities to record a convincing victory.

Foxhole made clear their intentions from the outset of the second period. Griffin, the appreciative recipient of both a surfeit of inviting ongoing service particularly from Spaul and Upton, and some decidedly inauspicious defending, squandered two chances, and Berry denied Upton with a fine save, before the duo combined for Upton to convert at the far post Griffin's unselfish centre ten minutes into the half. Godolphin were then to enjoy their best spell of the match, aided by the arrival of Thompson, as bustling forward Gibson began at last to put himself about. McNamee's lob was cleared off the line by Thomas, before Meadows, who had earlier tamely shot against the legs of Ryan Holland, made the most of Gotthardt's slip to fire high across the keeper to make it 4-1 with ten minutes remaining. Three minutes later, Griffin bagged his fourth, and Foxhole's fifth, bundling home from a yard Upton's mishit drive.

Foxhole (4-4-2): Ryan Holland; Adam Trudgian, Ben Thomas, Ryan Stephen, Adam Holland; Jaydon Gotthardt, Sam Kenny, Jordan Forde, Ben Spaul; Richard Griffin, Duane Upton.

Subs: Gary Camps, Adam Gamble.

Godolphin (4-4-2): Tom Berry; Jamie Shephard, Jamie Johnson, Corey Wood, Michael Johnson; Jacob Foster, Jay Barkley, Jamie Hayton, Ryan Martin; Chad Gibson, Ross Meadows.

Subs: Michael Thompson, Jamie McNamee.

Referee: Mr Dermot O'Callaghan junior (Newquay).