Bengeo Tigers FC

Pleasant playing conditions welcomed Welwyn Pegasus to Sumatrans home leg and a Tigers team keen to redeem last September’s 6–1 away leg defeat.

Sumatrans starting line up fielded Sam Rider in goal, Zack, Kyle, Jack and Ben in defence, James, Craig, Calum and Tyler in midfield, with Ryan starting his first game alongside Robert as strikers and Andrea, Tobi and Sam Milne as substitutes.

Sumatrans first goal came in the 4^th min when Zack played a ball out to Robert who ran it down the left wing, crossed to Ryan who netted his first for the club. Five minutes later James delivered a well weighted pass to Robert who again took it down the left, steadied himself and shot to score his first of the game. Just a minute later Calum collected the ball in midfield and ran it towards the Welwyn goal, dribbled left passed the keeper and calmly slotted his left footed shot into the net for Sumatran’s third.

Midway through the first half Ryan was rested and Andrea entered the game to maintain the attack and didn’t have long to wait to see James send a well placed ball to Robert who repeated Calum’s goal by running the ball into the box, round the keeper to net his left footed second goal of the day then followed up 3 minutes later with a solo 20 yd attack to claim his hat trick (Bengeo’s 5^th).

Tobi took over right wing duty from Tyler in the 27^th min to continue the pace.

The next goal started from a James Brett corner on the half hour which was cleared out of the Welwyn goalmouth only for James to pick up again towards the edge of the box, turn and deliver a hard grass-skimming shot which cut through Welwyn’s defence and their keeper to net just inside the right hand post and take Sumatrans into a comfortable 6 nil half time lead.

Sam Milne took over as keeper for the second half with the task to maintain Sam Rider’s clean sheet.

From the second half whistle, Sumatrans continued the charge. A first minute pass from Kyle released Andrea to sprint on the right and shoot just over the visitor’s crossbar.

3 minutes later a Sumatran skirmish in the Welwyn goalmouth ended when Robert buried Tigers 7^th ; his 4^th goal of the game.

James worked well with Andrea in the 40^th min when James’ well weighted lofty side foot pass fell perfectly to Andrea to confidently volley his first goal of the match.

Tyler returned to the game in a 50^th minute substitution for Craig, keen to keep the clean sheet.

The James and Andrea partnership struck again on the hour when Andrea picked up yet another well weighted long ball from James, ran to the edge of the penalty box to see his first shot rebound off the keeper but followed up to score on the second attempt and, minutes later, worked well to collect his hat trick and Sumatrans 10th.

Kyle rejoined the game after a brief spell sidelined by injury and Ryan rejoined for the final minutes of the game and very soon narrowly missed the goal when he connected with a well taken Robert corner to head just over the bar.

In the very last minutes, Tobi and Andrea combined well to reward Andrea with his 4^th goal and the game’s last.

An important win for the Sumatrans at this stage of the season. Despite only fielding a squad of 10, Welwyn had several strong, quick players and credit goes to the Sumatrans defence for not conceding any goals.

Well done to all players, especially Ryan for his well taken goal and Men of the Match Zack for his rock solid defending and Robert and Andrea for their tally of 4 goals each.

Lloyd Adams