Football: Ten-man Rocks hit Clanfield for six (From Gazette Series)

Uhlsport Hellenic League Division One West: Tytherington Rocks 6 Clanfield 1

4:17pm Wednesday 18th January 2012 in Thornbury Sport

RUTHLESS Tytherington Rocks smashed in six of the best – even though they played with only ten men for the last 40 minutes, writes John Crooks.

In the opening period the league leaders went into a three goal lead.

The first came from an ideal volley by Tony Perry following a fifth minute corner by Jason Wood.

On the quarter of an hour mark, Wood was again the provider to put Alex Chapman in to shoot home.

In the 33rd minute the dangerous Jack Smyth delivered the ball into the path of left back Dale Emery, who beat a defender to sweep his low shot into the corner for his third consecutive goal in three games.

But the match changed slightly when Rocks goalkeeper Tom Sheppard was sent off six minutes after the break, when he handled outside his penalty area.

Stuart Nelson replaced Sheppard in goal and Tytherington boss Gary Powell brought on Tim Baker in place of 11-goal Chapman to play a 4-4-1 formation.

Just after the hour, the whole Clanfield team were on their goal line, after a pass back was picked up by the visitors’ goalkeeper Chris Brain, to give the Rocks an indirect free-kick near the penalty spot, and Perry’s shot was blocked.

In the 67th minute, substitute Baker, who scored in the 1-1 draw at Clanfield last October, went upfield to curl a lob over the despairing Brain.

Three minutes later Smyth collided with Brain on the edge of the penalty box and the ball fell to Toby Colbourne, who easily pinged his effort into the vacant Clanfield net from 25 yards.

Colbourne snapped up his tenth strike of the season with seven minutes left when he fired home after a Smyth piledriver was parried.

Clanfield scored a late consolation goal through Steve Olphert.

The Rocks are now 19 points ahead of Purton, with a goal difference of 53.

Powell said: “We played very well. The movement, passing and tempo in the first-half was of the highest standard.

“In the second half we had to make sure we kept our concentration with our goalkeeper sent off. We had a couple of hairy moments but we finished it off.”

On Saturday, the Rocks are home against Wootton Bassett Town, 2.15 pm.

Powell added: “We are without Andy Criddle and Justin Bishop and then both Tom Sheppard and Marc Hughes will be missing for the Supplementary Cup game in a fortnight, but I have a good squad and players which will help the team.”