Chris Richards smashes four as Vale romp to 6-0 victory

League Match - 17th October 2010:                  Welling Wanderers FC 0 - Vale FC 6

Vale U16s needed to put points on the board after the previous week’s debacle which saw them forfeit three points in their first home fixture of the season due to the absence of player registration cards on the day. Despite the fact that Vale eventually played the match against Longwood FC and cruised to a scintillating 6-2 victory, the match was reduced to friendly status and the points awarded to the totally outclassed Longwood outfit.

Welling presented as a very well drilled and organised team that were prepared to work hard with a physical and long-ball approach to the game. This was absorbed by the Vale defence of Rhoden, Bonsu, Legal-Miller and Borg in the opening exchanges, and the whole team used the defensive strength as a springboard to launch their own attacking forays.

Feeding off increasing possession of the ball, Vale were able to get into their customary stride of free-flowing football to feet, and began to make their dominance pay dividends midway through the first half, with Chris Richards benefiting from Jake Bernard’s creative industry to put Vale 1-0 ahead and notch his first of the season with a perfectly despatched header. This seemed to take the stuffing out of Welling’s resistance, and Richards went on to score his second shortly after. The game was over as a contest just before half time when skipper Obi Nwanokwu scored his second of the season when he passed his effort into the bottom corner from outside the area. Shaquile Fakolujo was unlucky to have a great effort chalked off for an infringement after crashing an unstoppable volley into the roof of the net past the despairing Welling keeper.

Jake Bernard and Kyle Haynes-Robertson were largely responsible for creating much of the attacking menace for Vale. Haynes-Robertson mopped up most of the Welling threat in front of the Vale back four, with Bernard providing the ammunition to the forwards. Borg and Walters tucked in where necessary and provided a steady and reliable outlet out wide, whipping in dangerous crosses throughout.

Vale managed to maintain their discipline and momentum into the second half, with Daniel de Weever slotting into the midfield to good effect. Richards scored his hat-trick and then his fourth to confirm a very impressive return to form, with Nwanokwu rounding off the 6-0 drubbing with a far post headed effort that nestled into the roof of the net. Jamie McLeod had very little to do in between the sticks for Vale, which was testimony to Vale’s dominance of this encounter, but his starting position was greatly improved and his kicking was superb.

Whilst Vale never really reached their fluent potential, this, in fairness, was largely due to the very uneven playing surface. However, their concentration and dedication to duty, and their keenness and confidence to play football in the right way, enabled them to maintain a strangle-hold on the game, the result of which soon became inevitable... a victory and three points for Vale. Yet again, another excellent performance and result for Vale in the second game of their 2010-2011 league campaign... 6 goals (11 in total), another clean sheet and all three points in the bag.  

Vale FC:    McLeod; Rhoden; Borg; Bonsu; Legal-Miller; Haynes-Robertson; Bernard; Fakolujo; Walters; Nwanokwu (2); Richards (4)

de Weever; 

Pich Side Reporter : Gus Nwanokwu