Galloping Gold inspires Lions Masters

Good as the back four played, the first save of note was from Lee in the Lions goal, smartly down to parry at his near post, before he was scampering to his left, relieved the ball skimmed inches wide.

Lions soon settled, and one fine pass from Hadley Silver pass released Tony Gold whose cross was knocked down by Paul Lenchner but Craig Pearl was unable to keep his shot down.

Matty Kleinman and Pearl began to dominate the centre of the park, with Gold and Max Radford the outlets. The pressure finally told shortly before the break, with Gold again the architect with a great run and cross. Initially evading Lenchner it found its way to Radford who, with time and space, clipped the ball back for Lenchner to this time rise and head powerfully home.

The lead was almost doubled, a smart save by the Greenford keeper denying Pearl right on the whistle.

The game was nicely balanced – Lions on top but Greenford a threat, so the next goal became vital. With the half barely two minutes old Lions grabbed it, and it was delight for Conway. On at the break for his first minutes in almost two months, he reacted to Lenchner’s flick from Gold’s corner to acrobatically volley home from close range.

Conway’s pace was proving an asset – as Silver slipped him in he prodded the ball under the onrushing keeper, only to see his effort come back off the post. He then should have done better, reacting to a ball over the top he got there first but volleyed high and wide.

Brad Lazarus and Myers both saw efforts from range fly narrowly wide, but the third did arrive, Silver’s strike from the edge of the box was flying in, the wicked deflection just put it in the opposite corner.

Greenford kept coming at Lions and were rewarded for their endeavours when a fabulous strike from fully 40 yards flew up and over Lee and found the back of the net to reduce the arrears.

But try as they might to get back into it further Lions held firm and in truth should have stretched the lead, Conway thought he’d done so late on when he headed home, a generous offside call denying him a second.

The game though ended on a sour note for Lions as with virtually the last kick Silver injured his thigh, something likely to keep him out of action for a few weeks. The injury list is mounting.

An enjoyable and competitive game though, but one that Lions always felt they had under control.

LIONS: Brad Lee, Jon Rayner, Adam Myeroff, Adam Harvey, Rob Glass, Matt Kleiman, Craig Pearl, Hadley Silver, Paul Lenchner, Max Radford, Tony Gold. Subs: Andy Myers, Bradley Lazarus, Saul Conway

GOALS: Lenchner, Conway, Silver