Football: Alexander the Great hits derby hat-trick (From Gazette Series)

Gloucestershire County League: Thornbury Town 5 Chipping Sodbury Town 0

4:47pm Wednesday 11th January 2012 in Thornbury Sport

THORNBURY beat near neighbours Chipping Sodbury comfortably in their first game under new manager Roy Irwin.

Chipping Sodbury goalkeeper David Mead was in action as early as the seventh minute, tipping a speculative effort from Steve Alexander over the bar.

Ten minutes later he dived full length to push a Dan Thompson effort from 25 yards round the post.

Thornbury were dominating play and the visitors’ defence were struggling to contain Alexander and Thompson.

The duo combined when Thompson, having beaten his defender, took the ball to the byline and pulled it back into the path of Alexander, who steered the ball home, giving Mead no chance.

Mead saved from Alexander again ten minutes before the break but there was nothing he could do with the two goals that Town scored in the dying minutes of the first half.

Following a patient build-up Alexander laid the ball off to Sammy Lippiatt, who waltzed through the visitors’ defence before firing a shot against the post. The ball fell kindly for him again and he had no problem in steering the ball into the net.

Moments before the half-time whistle a throw-in on the left found Danny Thompson and following a jinking run into the penalty area he drove the ball home at the near post.

Five minutes into the second half Thompson again caused problems for the visitors’ defence and cut the ball across the face of the goal but neither Steve Alexander or James Willott could apply the finishing touch.

Two minutes later Alexander scored his second when he latched onto a Willott through ball and held off a defender before firing home.

With 15 minutes remaining Alexander almost grabbed his hat-trick when once again he stormed past his defender but this time his shot was pushed away by Mead.

However, five minutes later he fired home left footed from 20 yards out.

Thorns will be looking to carry on their improving form in their County League fixture at home to Bristol Academy this Saturday, 2pm, at the Mundy Fields.