GARSTON VETS LEAGUE INVITATIONAL CUP QUARTER-FINAL
LONDON LIONS 6 SOUTHGATE 2

London Lions blasted their way into their third semi-final of the season with a comprehensive victory over Southgate in this Invitational Cup match at Rowley Lane.

With a long list of absentees, it was a good time to welcome back Danny Daggers after injury had seen him miss the entire season to date. Partnering the outstanding Craig Pearl at the base of the Lions midfield the duo, with Brad Lazarus linking the play ahead of them, set about Southgate from the off.

It was clear that the pace of Tony Gold and the willing running of Saul Conway were going to be real assets, and so it proved when, with just 12 minutes on the clock. The latter broke clear following good work from Radford. The on-rushing Southgate keeper, who had an excellent game, was out quickly to block, but he was so unlucky that the loose ball cannoned back off a defender into the path of the supporting LAZARUS who took a touch and rolled the ball home.

Conway and the Southgate keeper were reacquaninted twice more in quick succession, with the visitor’s no. 1 coming out on top both times, but when on 25 minutes Gold raced away and crossed deep on the run, CONWAY rose superbly to guide a header back across goal to double the lead.

Southgate were lively up front, but Andy Myers and Adam Myeroff, well flanked by Paul Lenchner and Craig Henry, kept them at bay, with Bradley Lee untroubled in the Lions goal.

Daggers and Pearl continued to boss the crucial centre of the park, and when another crunching Pearl challenge won Lions possession the goal of the game followed. The loose ball was collected by Gold who played a perfectly timed defence splitting pass to SILVER. Running through, but still 25 yards out, he executed the most delicious long-range chip that evaded the keeper's flailing dive before dropping an inch under the bar to give Lions a three-goal half time lead.

More of the same followed in the second half – Gold and Conway continued to press Southgate back. A long ball from Henry seemed destined for the keeper but CONWAY chased it down and robbed him, tapping home for his second of the game.

At 4-0 Lions understandably dropped off the pace, but a bit of a howler from Lee and a deflected free-kick saw Southgate pull back two quick goals.

Lee redeemed himself with a brave save as Lions briefly wobbled, but when SILVER slammed home after good work from Daggers the game was safe.

There was still time for Silver to pass up the chance to register a first Lions hat-trick when his penalty was saved after Lazarus was brought down in the box, but a fantastic sixth goal arrived in the closing stages as Gold and MYERS broke the length of the pitch, the former sliding in the latter to finish first time on the run without breaking stride.

A semi-final date with Tansley awaits.