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Photos: Kathy Burke
Vanbrugh 2nds recovered from their shock defeat against Halifax 4ths last week with a comfortable victory over a stubborn Goodricke 3rds.
John Sanderson and Adam Lewis bagged the goals in a commanding second half performance following a scrappy first period.
The result leaves Goodricke rooted to the bottom of Group 2 having not yet scored, while Vanbrugh join everyone else bar James 1sts on three points.
The match took a while to get going, with Noel Rogers saving Callum Woodall’s free kick being the only notable contribution in a tepid first 20 minutes.
Vanbrugh were controlling the midfield through string-puller Max Poynter Hall, but Goodricke were holding firm at the back and looked dangerous from set pieces.
And it was Goodricke who had the game’s best chance towards the end of the first half when Phil Hancock’s free kick on the right was chested onto the post by Ben Campbell. The midfielder was unlucky his brilliant piece of improvisation did not come off.
Vanbrugh’s Paul O’Beirne must have given a stern half-time team talk to his players as his side came out firing on all cylinders in the second half.
But with just seconds played after the restart, Goodricke were furious they were not awarded a penalty.
Ben Watkins was sent clear into the Vanbrugh penalty area before knocking the ball past Williamson, who clumsily clattered the striker to the ground. The Goodricke bench were clearly up in arms over the referee’s decision not to take action.
Vanbrugh quickly recovered from this scare as Williams’ long clearance downfield was smartly flicked on by Poynter Hall to the chasing Tom Parish, but the striker lifted his shot over the bar.
Before long, Vanbrugh were playing some attractive football and their first goal after 40 minutes was a work of art deserving of a place at the Tate Modern.
Poynter Hall was again on the ball, drifting inside from the left before picking out Parish with an incisive pass. Parish turned acutely before slipping in Sanderson down the right, who smashed home from the corner angle of the six yard box.
The goal dampened the Goodricke spirits, but lifted those clad in red and blue as Vanbrugh were not going to sit back on their lead as they did last week.
Minutes after going in front, Sanderson almost grabbed his second with a smashed shot which Rogers fumbled, before Lewis hit the rebound out of JLD territory.
As Goodricke piled forward in search of an equaliser, they rode their luck on a couple of occasions at the back.
Sanderson again had a chance after a rapid Vanbrugh counter-attack involving Jack Coy and Lewis, but he blasted a wild shot high and wide.
With time running out for Goodricke, Vanbrugh added an insurance second goal when Lewis controlled Williams’ long ball, manoeuvred himself past a couple of defenders and slammed home from six yards.
Paul O’Beirne was happy his side bounced back: “It’s great to get a result after last week. It was a better performance, especially in the second half and we deserved the win.”
Meanwhile, Harry Shaw was angry his side were not awarded a penalty: “When we conceded the first goal it was quite hard to come back. But the penalty was a shocker; the ‘keeper wiped him out.”
Vision MOTM: John Sanderson
The lad didn’t even appeal, he jumped over the keeper and fell