Goal Frenzy At Imperial Fields As Tooting Secure Victory
- Official TMUFC
- Jan 15, 2017
- 2 min read
It took a half time rocket from Head Coach Paul Dale to get Tooting to move out of second gear today following an opening 45 minutes in which they threatened to take control of the game but instead allowed their visitors back into it.
Tooting started the game slowly today and much of the early possession was bossed by the visitors. However it was the Terrors who struck first on 12 minutes when Danny Bassett struck home from just inside the penalty area when he found the ball at his feet following a great run and cross from the left hand side by Claudio Hoban. Two minutes later the Terrors had doubled their lead as Bassett turned provider, setting up Mike Dixon who latched onto his pass to slide the ball past Chris Haigh in the East Grinstead goal. However just as it looked like Tooting were about to put the opposition to the sword a piece of slack defending on 17 minutes allowed Jerome Roseje to slot home from close range. For the remainder of the half, whilst controlling most of the play, Tooting failed to move the ball around quickly in the manner that fans have become used to this season and instead their approach play was slow and deliberate and rarely threatened the opposition.
With the words of Paul Dale ringing in their ears Tooting began the second half at lightning speed and just 60 seconds into the second period, with his back to goal, on the right hand edge of the penalty area, Mike Dixon sent a superb curling left footed effort into the back of the net to restore Tooting’s two goal. Then, just two minutes later, Sandy Cunningham found the ball at his feet about 14 yards out from goal. At first he appeared to struggle to get the ball out from under his feet however he cleverly created room for himself and struck a crisp right footed shot straight into the roof of the net to put Tooting in complete control. However, East Grinstead continued to play with spirit and were rewarded on 86 minutes when a defensive slip by Ashley Robinson allowed Malachi Robinson in on the left to slide the ball past Kyle Merson. Despite this setback though it was Tooting that had the final say just two minutes from time when another fine run from Claudio Hoban down the left saw him cut in along the bye line and pull the ball back for substitute Jack Mazzone to slide home from close range.
Photo credit: Sam Conquest