Lions Vets maintain winning formula against Garston

Craig Pearl almost doubled the lead, firing over from Hadley Silver’s neat pass, but despite finding some good positions the final ball lacked the required quality from the home side thereafter and all that was tested too often was the keeper’s impressive handling.

With the wind picking up so too did Garston’s footing in the game, but stout defending from the excellent David Soutar and Rob Glass kept them at arm's length. However, they did threaten through their pacy winger – he and Jon Rayner had an excellent battle all game long – and from one run and pull-back their forward should have done better than blast over the bar.

And there was an escape for Lions just before half time when Soutar inadvertently diverted the ball past Abrahams, relieved that it bobbled back off the post into the keeper’s grateful arms.

A goal to the good and with the advantage of the wind to come, it was a good place to be at half-time. And the Lions side started the second period well, with Lazarus twice trying his luck from range while Kleiman twice failed to deliver a cross with the quality of his first-half effort.

Substitute Paul Lenchner was providing the focal point and Saul Conway was an outlet with his pace out wide. But Lions became a little casual in possession and a little sloppy in their decision-making, meaning the crucial second goal didn’t come.

The back four weren’t quite offered their usual protection, but thankfully were on good form and kept Garston at arms length.

Lions though gee’d themselves up, and when Conway drove at his man and was crudely upended Lazarus had the chance to whip in a free-kick. This he did, Lenchner controlled the ball expertly and, despite being pulled by the defender, managed to crack a shot off that came back down off the underside of the bar, finding the net off the back of the keeper to double the lead.

From there Lions saw the game out well, although a fine point-blank save from Abrahams with ten minutes left ensured there was no storm to ride out, Lions keeping possession well until the final whistle blew.

LIONS: Rob Abrahams, Matt Kleinman, Jon Rayner, Rob Glass, David Soutar, Alex Levack, Danny Daggers, Craig Pearl, Hadley Silver, Brad Lazarus, Saul Conway. Sub: Paul Lenchner, 

SCORERS: Lazarus, Lenchner