Old Suttonians 0 Old Tiffinians 5

Scorers: Houghton 1, Evelyn 1, Omo 1, Sprunt 1, OG.

Dave Smith

Simon Baile

Steve Moodley

Pete Markham

Pete Stephens

Carl Naylor

Oscar Omo

Bruce Houghton

Ali Rawlinson

Matt Seabrook

Craig Walker

Rob Lee

Nigel Sprunt

Ricky Evelyn

 

The vets followed up their six of the  best routine on match day one with a five star performance on Saturday to continue an outstanding start to the season for the Tiffs.

The fact this 5-0 victory came against Suttonians, who we failed to score against in both matches last year, was especially good news and suggests Craig Walker’s purple army have found their creative spark.

Indeed Walker himself has something of the managerial Midas about him at the moment. Every idea proves to be golden, not least the decision to split last year’s central midfield pairing to make room for Bruce Houghton in the middle, leaving that high powered hustler Ali Rawlinson in unfamiliar territory on the left.

A questionable move? Not a bit of it. Houghton – who once resided in Barcelona, dictated the first hour like a Catalan playmaker, skipping past challenges, knocking long passes left and right, and then bagging the first goal with a smartly taken volley.

On the left side Tiffs were ripping it up, Ali setting up some smart moves and twice making his own incursions into the box, one time bringing a good save from the keeper.

And what a game Steve Moodley was having at left back, on numerous occasions bursting down the flank to take the game to the opposition and often beating a couple of players in doing so.

That first goal by Bruce came after about 25 minutes and the second, an own goal from a drilled corner with Tiffs attackers lurking, went in about ten minutes later. 2-0.

The lead reflected Tiffs control over the game, with Nigel Sprunt leading the line with strength and skill and the whole Tiffs front six posing plenty of problems for Sutts.

At the other end, things were under control, a long shot to tip over the bar the most serious threat to Dave Smith’s goal.

Any hopes Sutts had of a second half comeback were quickly extinguished, as Tiffs looked if anything, more irresistible.

A revved up Ricky Evelyn was making a real nuisance of himself, and saw a great header well saved before, minutes later, bagging a Michael Owen style poachers goal around the six yard box.

Oscar Omo, that colossus in the middle of the park, claimed an assist – I think – and also added the cherry on his own performance cake with a close range strike.

And Nigel Sprunt found space to score with aplomb, a smart right footed finish from the edge of the area curled inside the post.

There was even time for two of the defenders to make their own application to join the scoresheet. First Carl Naylor buccaneered forward, receiving the ball at his feet as he approached the area. He looked every bit the consummate left winger until the finish, which ended safely in the keepers’ gloves.

Then Markham joined a breakaway, a sprint of half the field being picked out by a great ball from Ali. But it was a half chance at best and in Markham’s incapable hands, you can reduce that to about one in twenty. The eventual shot was high, wide and not very handsome.

The game became a bit ragged towards the end but for Tiffs their business was done.

 

After two matches the league sees the vets at the top with 11 scored and none against. One suspects it may never get better than this.