FC United began the defence of the Fenix Trophy, which they won in Rimini in June, with an emphatic 4-1 win over former Belgium champions KSK Beveren at Broadhurst Park on Tuesday night.
FC United began the defence of the Fenix Trophy, which they won in Rimini in June, with an emphatic 4-1 win over former Belgium champions KSK Beveren at Broadhurst Park on Tuesday night.
Regan Linney scored his 20th goal of the season in spectacular style to get things underway in the 15th minute before Michael Donohue also bagged a screamer after half an hour to make it 2-0 at halftime.
The visitors from East Flanders gave their vocal travelling supporters something to cheer about just before the hour mark when Jochen Vergauwen made it 2-1 with an audacious chip over FC United goalkeeper Dan Lavercombe.
However, it proved to be little more than a consolation as Reds captain Charlie Ennis scored from the penalty spot in the 71st minute and Dontai Gabidon made it 4-1 in stoppage time.
In the early exchanges, it was Beveren who had the better of the ball and looked to be more fluid in their pressing. It took around 20 minutes for FC to get a solid spell of possession under their belts, but with that, then came the silky touches and eventually, the goals.
Linney struck first for the Reds when he received the ball on the edge of the box from a corner and from a seemingly impossible angle curled the ball past the Belgian ‘keeper and into the net. It was a goal that Linney can add to his ever-growing showreel of goals labelled ‘special’.
If we thought that we were treated with the first goal, the second was something else. FC began to build down the near side, riding challenges to get the corner. The ball was floated into the box and just when it looked as though it had come to nothing, Donohue took on a speculative strike from around 35 yards out. His shot hung in the air beautifully before hitting the back of the net to make it 2-1.
The rain began to lash down as both sides went in for halftime. This gave way to a torrent of changes for the away side, who made four subs to FC United’s two. The changes had a positive impact on Beveren’s game, as they managed to pull a goal back through Vergauwen.
It would then be Beveren with the bit between their teeth until FC further nullified the threat through getting a penalty which was converted by Charlie Ennis straight down the middle in front of the St Mary’s Road End.
From here, FC United controlled proceedings and marshalled the game expertly with possession football and plenty of passing ‘on the deck’.
Gabidon added a fourth at the death, getting hold of a whipped ball to the back post and driving it into the back of the net. It capped off an excellent night for FC United, who couldn’t have asked for a better performance both on and off the pitch.
Website man of the match – Andy Halls. Several players were in with a shout, but it was Halls who rose highest above the rest. His composure on the ball and work off it ensured that FC United were kept motoring through the gears.
After the match, Neil Reynold’s said: “Tonight felt special. The noise was electric, it was a proper European night against a club that has won the Belgian league twice. I’m a proud manager tonight, I'm proud of my team and I'm proud of my boys.”
Speaking about the three-point deduction in the league. He added: “I've just informed the players and there's nobody being hung out to dry. Mistakes happen and we’ll come back from it. We won't be the only team this season to be deducted points, the rules are incredibly difficult. Let's all rally round now and keep this good run going.”
Next up for FC United is the last in our run of three home games, as we take on promotion rivals Gainsborough Trinity at Broadhurst Park on Saturday 19th November, in a 3pm kick-off. Get yourself to that football ground.
Report by Callum Scott