Stanley's Hat-Trick Helps See Of Tilbury

Having secured a midweek victory at Cheshunt, courtesy of an injury time Joey Abbs freekick, the Greens made just one change to the side as Marcus Hall returned in place of Scott Davis.

Having started the game, Tilbury created all the early attacks, however despite delivering a number of balls were unable to test Templeman as shots were blocked. Slowly Soham started to get into the game as Torres played the ball into the box for Prada, only for Ramos to come off his line and thwart the Spaniard after twelve minutes. Shortly after, the keeper was again called into action, this time denying Stanley, before Prada turned inside to fire a shot straight at him. Brown should have given the hosts the lead midway through the half but after running onto Prada’s ball into the area, fired wide of the far post with only Ramos to beat. Duarte then rose to head Babalola’s cross straight at Templeman, before the game quickly swung into Soham’s favour thanks to a nine minute Luke Stanley hat-trick. The Green’s Captain opened the scoring in the 35th minute after getting onto the end of Prada’s ball into the area to slide past Ramos. Prada was again the provider four minutes later as the midfielder exchanged passes with Stanley before curling a shot wide of Ramos and in at the far post. The striker completed his hat-trick in the final minute of the half when he collected Brown’s through ball to lift it over the advancing Ramos, before rounding the keeper to roll the ball into the net from close range.

The Dockers introduced Tyler Hubbard at the interval, however within four minutes of the restart, Stanley should have had his, and Soham’s, fourth goal of the game when he received Abbs’ diagonal ball across the area, but with the visitors appealing for offside, the onside striker fired well over the bar. Moments later up the other end of the field, Templeman stuck out a leg to deny Babalola before the keeper made a fine save, getting down to push Duarte’s low striker around his post. However it was from the resultant corner Francis Babalola was given space in the area to place wide of the keeper in the 55th minute. Three minutes later Brown came close to restoring the Greens advantage, however after receiving Abbs’ ball, took it wide of Ramos only for the shot to come back off the post. Having pulled a goal back, Tilbury were now enjoying the better of the play as Flack cut in from the wing to curl a shot over the bar, before pulling another goal back in the 63rd minute when sub Hubbard was allowed space down the right to get into the by-line and deliver the ball across goal leaving Ruben Duarte the easiest of finishes from close range. Just after the midway point of the half, both sides made changes while Prada, Henty and Stanley all came close with headers and Sharman dipped a shot over the bar. However Soham secured the points by scoring their fourth of the afternoon when Sharman made a run from midfield to deliver the ball into the area from the right with Dan Brown rising to head home with the ball going over the line thanks to the inside of the post.

Soham Town Rangers
J. Templeman, V. Torres, C. Clarke (A. Luque 81), J. Asensi, J. Gent, A. Gutierrez (M. Bromwich 67), M. Hall, D. Prada, D. Brown, L. Stanley, J. Abbs (R. Sharman 67)
Unused: S. Davis, D. Napier

Tilbury
C. Ramos, J. Pooley, A. Waters (E. Johnson 73), A. Vezza, B. Vaughan, J. Christou, R. Flack, J. Carlile (T. Hubbard 46), R. Duarte, G. Henty, F. Babalola
Unused: G. Ryan

Score: (3-0) 4-2

Goals
STRFC: L. Stanley (35, 39, 44), D. Brown (86)
TFC: F. Babalola (55), R. Duarte (63)

Yellow Cards
STRFC: V. Torres (Foul 79)
TFC: None

Attendance: 118

Match Pictures