Lions rout Vics

Heanor Town recorded a comprehensive 11-0 victory at a beleaguered Borrowash Victoria.

It took just five minutes for the scoring to get going. Rob Ritchie-Smith’s right-footed corner wasn’t cleared and captain Daniel Chatfield punished the Vics from inside the penalty area.

The Lions survived a scare from the restart when it was Heanor’s turn to fail to clear a corner, but Sam McKay’s acrobatic effort did not worry Ben Gough in the Heanor goal.

The Lions made it 2-0, and in truth sealed the game, on eleven minutes. Wonderful build-up play which included inter-play from Ben Cartwright, Jamie Sleigh and Sam Birks allowed Jordan Ball all the time in the world to pass the ball into an empty net.

Heanor continued to lay siege to Borrowash’s goal and it wouldn’t have been beyond the realms of possibility that the Lions could’ve scored twenty. Jamie Sleigh was guilty of missing several good opportunities in the first half, and Jordan Ball could’ve wrapped up a hat-trick before the half-hour mark.

The third goal came on 38 minutes when Sleigh beat his marker with skill and delivered a low cross which was converted at the far post by Rob Ritchie-Smith.

The fourth goal arrived in first half stoppage time courtesy of Jamie Sleigh. The marksman finally got his goal after Sam Birks rounded the ‘keeper and laid it on a plate for the Lions’ top scorer.

Heanor continued their assault straight from the restart. Ben Cartwright’s sumptuous volley was the pick of the day’s goals as he made it 5-0.

The introduction of Kyle Daley only made Borrowash’s plight worse and it wasn’t long before his pace was wreaking havoc. Jamie Sleigh elected not to shoot and instead found the onrushing Daley who made it 6-0.

A few minutes later, it was Daley’s turn to play provider. The winger beat his full-back easily and delivered a low cross which was deftly flicked home by Sleigh for his second of the game.

Moments after, Sleigh passed up the opportunity for a hat-trick to play in Sam Birks to stroll the ball into the net for eight.

Sleigh then saw an effort cleared off the line before Kyle Daley waltzed into the Borrowash penalty area to slot into the bottom corner.

Jamie Sleigh thought he had secured his third goal of the game when he capitalised on a defensive error to pass into the empty net but, after much deliberation, the goal was disallowed after it was ruled the Borrowash ‘keeper’s goal kick did not leave the penalty area before being touched, meaning it had to be retaken.

It did become double figures, however, with five minutes remaining. Morgan Holloway was allowed time to fire past the visibly distraught Lewis Soal in the Borrowash goal.

Sam Birks completed the rout with three minutes remaining to move the Lions into the top six in the East Midlands Counties League.