We often score six...

As the old song goes, "We often score six"¦"?? well in truth we don’t do that too often, but on Sunday, for the second time in our history, an FC United side did score ten. Lancaster City Youth Team being the hapless victims in this case.

The youth team started at a gallop, having two good chances in the first minute, with Jamie Mack and Toby Iloba going close. Indeed they could easily have been four up in the first ten minutes; however the game remained goalless and had settled down with chances drying up after 25 minutes when Jack Lyons clipped a fine shot high over the goalkeeper and into the Lancaster net to make it 1-0. The lead was very nearly doubled a minute later when Jack benefiting from a fumble, sidestepped the keeper and shot goal ward, only to see a defender clear it off the line.

From hereon in the right wing was to prove to be FC best route to goal, with two right wing crosses being headed narrowly wide, before in the 32nd minute a corner from the right wing evaded everyone in the middle until it reached Toby Iloba whose slightly scuffed shot crept in at the far post to make it 2-0.

Two minutes later, and not wishing to be left out of the action, left winger Sam Freakes, fed Toby Iloba who, having previously been caught offside more than once, had timed his run perfectly and slotted it past the keeper for 3-0. A minute later, the next attack, returning to the right wing approach saw a cross cum shot from Jamie Mack hit the far post. It bobbled around the six yard box for a few seconds before what appeared to be a Lancaster defender sensing the afternoon he was having, took the opportunity to smash the ball into his own net (4-0). Jamie Mack finally got on the score sheet in the 39th minute to complete the first half scoring

Apart from a Shaun Williams header in the first minute, the second half started quietly, as if FC had some sympathy for their opponents. Until the 57th minute that is, when Toby picked up the ball on the right hand corner of the box, out muscled two defenders and ran round the keeper before holding off another defender and completing his hat-trick.

At that point Lancaster might have thought FC were just going to play out time as Toby immediately made way for Matthew Wilkinson. Matty however had other ideas as on 62 minutes Sam Freakes on the left wing by the half way line knocked the ball into space behind the defence. Matty was first to the ball and calmly slotted it past the keeper (7-0). After 65 minutes he had the luxury of being able to miss a chance after being set free from the right. That reprieve lasted until the 72nd minute when a close range header after Jack Lyons had recovered a cross from Jamie Mack that had eluded everyone to give Matty the easiest of chances. (8-0) His hat-trick was completed in the 82nd minute when a ball from left back Barry Davies freed Jamie Mack, his shot/cross was missed by the keeper although did appear to be going wide except that Matty was waiting to pounce (9-0).


The only question then was would FC complete the magical double figure tally or not. Honourable mention should now go to Sam Freakes, who whilst desperate to get on the score sheet, showed a charitable streak, missing twice when a shot on target seemed by far the easier option. The final goal did arrive in the 84th minute when Jamie Mack made space for himself on the edge of the box and powered a shot into the corner of the net.

It is worth noting that the reds didn’t have it all their own way as a Lancaster side, who are probably the youngest in this division, tried to play good football throughout the game, never letting their heads drop. They had very few chances on target, but missed by less than a yard on at least three occasions; one of which being direct from a free kick on the edge of the FC box. Credit should be given to the midfield of Mark Reeves, who after scoring his customary goal from the half way line; woke up to put in a display of tenacious tackling along with Shaun Williams. Credit should also go to the defence of Alex Sutcliffe, Nick Swirad, John Buckley and Barry Davies who did much to ensure FC kept a clean sheet, they, along with keeper Jake Edwards ensured the ball spent as little time in the FC half as possible.

FC United of Manchester
1. Jake Edwards
2. Alex Sutcliffe
3. Barry Davies
4. John Buckley
5. Nick Swirad
6. Shaun Williams
7. Mark Reeves
8. Toby Iloba (Goals 32, 34 & 57 minutes)
9. Jack Lyons (Goal 25 minutes)
10. Jamie Mack (Goals 39 & 84 minutes)
11. Sam Freakes
Subs
12. Stephen Carson
14. Josh Parkinson
15. Tim Marshall (for 6, 77 Minutes)
16. Scott Taylor (for 7, 72 minutes)
17. Matthew Wilkinson (for 8, 60 minutes) (Goals 62,72 & 82 minutes)

Lancaster City
1. Kieron Morgan
2. Thomas Lomax
3. Jack Beaton
4. Sam Clarkson
5. John Booth
6. Luke Parkinson
7. Luke Atkinson
8. Joshua Buller
9. Richard McDonnell
10. Yan Jackson
11. Liam Brown
Subs
12. Daniel Jackson
14. Billy Duckworth
15. Thomas Stables