MANCHESTER ACCOUNTANTS LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION
South Manchester Sports Club 1st 5 The Village 0

South Manchester Sports took a large step towards securing the Manchester Accountants League Premier League title with a resounding win against bogey team The Village.

Played on a huge surface at the Armitage Centre, the opposition never got close to a South team that dominated from start to finish.

Early on the opposition stood off and allowed South to pass and move which meant they could not contain the home team. After conceding a corner in the fifth minute, the Village defence cleared the ball to the edge of the area where the waiting Toby Levy thrashed the ball in on the volley.

Levy soon struck again, where after good work from Adam Lavin, he rolled the ball into an empty net after 20 minutes to double the lead.

Chances came and went as Lavin seemed to be having a one-man competition with the opposing keeper as he made three top saves to deny the striker.

The Village decided to press South and for 20 minutes up to half time they managed to stem the flow of attacks but the second half saw South regain the initiative.

Despite dominating they could still not kill the game off until a moment of sublime brilliance from Ben Peppi. Picking the ball up 40 yards out, he started on a run that was to take him past six opponents before he drew the keeper and rolled the ball in for a goal that came from a much higher standard.

The game was now effectively over and as The Village got more tired Adam Jackson ran the full length of the pitch to increase the lead to 4-four.

Lavin then jinked past a couple of defenders before rolling in the fifth to conclude a great win for South.

This was to be very significant as they learned that title opponents MACE had lost to third placed Miam Miam meaning South need three wins out of five games to secure the title. South now play Miam Miam, who lie one point behind South, having played three games more than South, on Wednesday night.

Speaking after the game, South manager Darryl Lee was in a happy mood. “To have a fully fit squad at this time of the season, with so many big games to come, is a plus and the Pesach break has clearly worked wonders for my players," he said.

"We have a very tough game at home on Wednesday and a cup quarter-final next Sunday so the big games are now coming thick and fast.

"It's a cliché but we will take each game one at a time and hopefully we can add to the Handicup which is already in the trophy cabinet.”

Fixtures this week:
April 18 vs MIAM MIAM - League @ the Armitage Centre, 6.15pm KO
April 22 vs PWC - Accountants Cup quarter-final - 10.30am KO