Wanderers Week
in Review
FULLER HAMLETS WANDERERS IN ROUND-ROBIN GOALFEST
The Fuller Hamlets Wanderers (8-10year olds) opened their fall
league play under the lights at Bowden Fields, Central Turnpike,
Sutton with a slate of six games and a feast of goals. The Fuller
Mosquitoes began slowly in a game with Kaittors Kickers who had
several fine shots on goal, well saved by Daniel Clark, before
Jake Lafontaine gave the Kickers a well-earned lead following
a fine left foot cross from Sean Gatsogiannis. But the Mosquftoes
replied with a powerful rising free kick by Wally Esker late in
the half to make the half-time score 1-1. In the second half the
Mosquitoes' coach, Mike Elster, made several positional changes
and there were immediate results. Kevin McDermott scored twice
with well-hit shots and Wally Esker notched his second on a splendid
feed from Tim Whittredge who also assisted McDermott on one of
his goals in the 4-1 victory.
In the Mosquitoes' second game they won by the same margin over
Mendon Rovers, 3-0 on goals by Kevin McDermott and two by Sam
Luuko. The Rovers were missing their captain and two other players
and will expect to do better in the return game.
The Hartford Tigers had won their first game 2-0 against the
depleted Mendon Rovers on goals by Brandon Esker and Lukas Ritzer,
but they found much tougher v opposition in Kaittors Kickers in
their second game. The two teams traded goals, with D*avld Klett
scoring off the underside of the crossbar for Kickers and Jordan
Elster poking in an ' opportunist goal to equalize for the Tigers
for a tie 1-1 at half-time. Jake Lafontaine put the Kickers ahead
from close range but the Tigers came back with a strong shot from
Brandon Esker deflected past the goalkeeper. In the last kick
of an even match the Tigers dinched the victory 3-2 on another
deflection by a defender in a goalmouth melee. AH the spectators
thought the game ended in a 2-2 tie!
This strange finish set up a final match between the two teams
that had won both their previous games, and the championship game
did not disappoint. It was played at a blistering pace with some
good passing and some powerful kicking. The game swung from end
to end with plenty of goalmouth action that had the crowd clapping
and cheering with every good shot and every fearless save. Daniel
Clark scored first for the Mosquitoes with a disputed goal that
hit the underside of the crossbar, hit the back of the goalie,
and just crossed the line before being scrambled away by the defenders.
The Tigers' reply was clear cut. Zachary Ells' strong run on the
right set up Jason Dimmick's low and powerful shot from 15 yards
out that foundthe corner of the net: perhaps the best goal of
the round-robin. • Tim Whittredge restored the Mosquitoes'
lead with a high-powered rising drive from 15 yards that capped
a driving run through the Tigers' midfield: another contender
for the best goal of the tournament. This looked like the winner
until Kyle Sykes and Brandon Esker combined for a scrambled, equalizer
in the dying moments of a memorable 2-2 tie.
The consolation, game between the Kickers and the Rovers was
also a hard-fought battle. The Kickers had the edge in the first
half and scored on a Logan Nellis drive after a poor defensive
clearance. But in the second half Mendon Rovers rallied and Aidan
Lucey scored with a 15-yard drive after dribbling past two opponents
to gain a 1-1 tie.
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