SPARTAN SOUTH MIDLANDS LEAGUE DIVISION ONE
BUSH HILL RANGERS 1 LONDON LIONS 3
The joy of Christmas came early for London Lions, as they ended an eight-match winless run at Bush Hill Rangers.
Santa and his Elves could not have gift wrapped a better present as Lions deservedly recorded a morale-boosting victory, thanks to a brace from Josh Kennet and a solitary effort from Max Kyte.
Lions' all-round team performance was as solid, committed and resolute as the one shown the previous Saturday, the difference being this time is that they also got the result.
With Jake Rinsler, Kyle Bentwood and Benji Weinberger unavailable following Saturday's game, it allowed Jon Kurrant, Laurence Judah and Zac Rose to return to the fold. All three contributed to a real dogged performance, with Rose particularly impressive at right-back.
The large and sticky pitch didn't allow either team the opportunity to play any football, which resulted in a rather scrappy, fragmented and untidy affair in the first 45 minutes. Lions, for fear of getting 'done over the top', kept a rather deep line which prevented the midfield and front players from getting enough pressure on the ball. This allowed the home side far more time and space then they needed and kept the Lions defence firmly on their toes.
In the opportune moments the visitors were able to press, the likes of Ben Lampert, Andy Glynne and particularly Kurrant, forced Bush Hill into mistakes, which resulted in them giving the ball away.
Lions' most notable effort in the first half came the way of Kyte, but his shot was slightly off keel and flew wide.
Mario Cenolli was a virtual spectator throughout the first 45 minutes, but on the two or three occasions he was called upon, he made himself big and strong averting any danger.
If ever there was a game there for the taking this one was it. At the break the Lions management insisted on a higher back-line and a greater pressure from the front three and midfield. And within 90 seconds of the restart Lions went 1-0 in front. Sam Shooter burst down the Lions left forcing a corner. Quick thinking between Kennet and Kurrant allowed for a short corner and two on one situation, Kennet received the ball from Kurrant and driving into space, curled a sublime cross/come shot directly into the goal. The Christmas crackers were popping in the away end, as the small travelling group of Lions supporters all huddled together leapt out of their seats in celebration.
Lions didn't need a second invitation to take the Reindeer by the reigns, as the goal galvanised and spurred the whole team on. With 65 minutes on the clock, Lampert, Glynne and Kurrant were in full throttle through midfield, driving forward, pressing and electrified and Bush Hill had no answers.
The game was 68 minutes old when Lions doubled their lead. Man-of-the-moment Kennet jinked and dummied finding a crucial moment of space in the 18-yard box, before driving home Lions and his second of the game.
Rick Jacobson replaced the incredibly hard working Shooter and moments later Gold got a cameo for the outstanding but cramped up Rose.
Lions were in no mood to let up and in the final 10 minutes recorded a third. The last time Lions scored three goals was in a 5-3 defeat away at Belstone, so it was a welcome relief when Kurrant threaded the ball through a needle to Kyte, who took the pass superbly, got away from his marker and smashed the ball home.
As the game etched away to its conclusion and with tiredness by now a major factor in the Lions camp, Bush Hill managed to score a consolation.
Lions boss Tony Gold said: "The lads used the disappointment of Saturday's result to galvanise themselves tonight. Our collective performance was even better than Saturday's and tonight we got a result that matched that performance.
"We were excellent again tonight, Bush Hill Rangers are a good side and have some every effective players, they caused us problems, but I was delighted with the way we handled those problems.
"In the last few games we have played well and not got what we deserved from our efforts; tonight we did and the more we put these type of performances in and the more consistent we become with player availability, the better we will get.
"The younger players, the likes of Rinsler, Rose and Shooter are getting better and better. They are starting to listen and have an appreciation of what we are asking them to do. They are approaching matches far more disciplined and maturely.
"Football is very much like life, you have to go through the bad times, difficulties, mundane stuff and aggravation to fully appreciate the good times when they come.
"I think Paul Lambert and myself will share a few whiskeys this weekend as we have both ended long winless runs. We still have five games before Christmas which is 15 points. Tonight will count for very little if we don't take the momentum into Saturday's home game with Langford.
"Finally good luck to Jesse Goodhand-Tait this weekend in his pro-debut."