HERTS SENIOR COUNTY LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION

LONDON LIONS 9 BELSTONE 1

Andy Landesberg’s Lions are now just a maximum of 11 points – or four wins – from the championship and a promotion back to the Spartan South Midlands League with nine games left of the league season.

Despite Belstone being Lions closest threat to the title, nine goals today followed 10 in the cup two weeks ago against the Radlett side, and really reflects the gulf currently between Lions and the rest of the league.

Lions opened the score from an unlikely source when Harry Hatchwell headed home from Austin Lipman’s high cross, scoring his first goal of the season and only his third in over 60 Lions games.

With 14 minutes on the clock, it was Adam Lipman this time creating goals when his run down the wing and cross was turned in by a Belstone defender for 2-0.

With a quarter of the game gone, the only surprise was that James Gershfield was not on the scoresheet, but he rectified that as Lions made it three and opened the gap to an irretrievable distance.

That said, Belstone didn’t lie down and pulled one back before half time just to keep things alive, but Lions are in supremely confident mode at the moment and the second half saw a ruthless dismissal of any comeback.

Max Kyte replaced the injured Adam Burchell at the interval, and the big striker got straight in on the act following some great play from Austin Lipman and Kyte made it 4-1.

The fifth soon followed, deservedly for Lipman who scored one having been at the heart of Lions creativity and reached the 25-goal mark for the season.

Kyte added another courtesy of Josh Kennet’s centre before Gershfield completed an almost obligatory hat-trick – his third treble in the last four games – with two quick-fire goals.

Skipper Kennet completed the rout with a well-earned goal, and Lions were home and dry.

Despite all the goal-scoring glory, it was again a team effort with Jake Furman dominant in midfield and the back line not allowing Belstone the opportunity to get a foot-hold.

On this form, the Spartan South Midlands League should be wary as a title win in March looks increasingly inevitable from this young side.

LIONS: Jake Lewis, Adam Lipman, Charlie Rubin, Nick Landesberg, Harry Hatchwell, Ben Goldberg, Adam Burchell (sub: Max Kyte), Jake Furman, James Gershfield, Austin Lipman, Josh Kennet. Subs: Andy Glynne, Rocky Spitzer

SCORERS: Hatchwell, own goal, Gershfield (3), Kyte (2), Lipman, Kennet