Duchy two

Lamerton 6

Lifton 1

AFTER Lamerton’s poor start to the season they faced a tricky test against their local rivals Lifton in the league, with player manager Paul Cowling changing the formation.

It was not long until his decisions paid off, playing a four three three formation with six foot Elliot Blatchford upfront alongside Blair Vanstone and Sam Hicks in an attacking formation. Within 15 minutes Blatchford won a corner; Matty Davidson thought quick and passed to Vanstone who saw his fierce strike hit a defender and deflect into the visitors’ net.

The second was minutes later when Cowling crossed a low drive pass into the box to see Sam Hicks slot it home. Lamerton spurred on by their great start pushed for another. Davidson fizzed a 40-yard pass to Blatchford, who danced past the keeper to tap in number three.

There was some excellent work from home midfielders Connor Phillips and Jamie Court and with the back four in Davidson, Lee Lewis, Glen Holmes and Daryl Panter looking strong it did not look like Lifton could penetrate past them.

The visitors’ cause was not helped when a miskick from the keeper fell to Cowling; his pass to Vanstone on the wing cut the Lifton defence and Vanstone duly crossed to Blatchford to chest and side foot the ball past the out stretched goalkeeper.

The second half was much the same but with the wind picking up and the driving rain at spells it was a hard 45 minutes. Lamerton kept the ball on the ground and let Lifton do the chasing but any spells Lifton did have, Holmes cleaned up with his pace and great heading. Lamerton goalkeeper Josh McDonald also had a good game.

The fifth goal for the home team came when Hicks’ pace and determination saw his pass fall to Court in the box who smashed it home.

Lifton scored a consolation goal when Liam Cairns raced onto a ball and fired it home past McDonald.

Man of the match Elliot Blatchford grabbed his hat-trick in the final minutes after Panter’s cross fell to him outside the box to volley it home.