A midweek friendly was arranged against 2022-23 Sheffield & District Division Three Champions, Fox Glen, who had ended the campaign with 4 league defeats from their 22 matches played. The Oranges were without Ryan Hunter, after he broke his leg two days previously in a freak football accident, whilst several players were also absent – giving the hosts a slim squad.
In a David versus Goliath encounter it would have seemed that the hosts were on a hiding to nothing. And so, it would seem after the visitors slid into a seven-goal lead but whilst the game was quickly beyond them there was much encouragement from a spirited second half which saw the visitors score two further goals towards the end of a tiring match.
However, the largest achievement of the day was top-striker, Jesse Payne, netting his first hat-trick for Game Changer FC, and taking his tally to fifteen goals.
GAME CHANGER 3-9 Fox Glen WEDNESDAY, 12TH JULY 2023
FLOURISH LEAGUE
Game Changer XI | Substitutes |
Liam Cole | Levi Wilkinson |
Connor Jones | Liam Potter |
Matthew Townsend | Cameron Harrison |
Paul Holland | |
Brett Hanson | Manager |
Kevin Laws | Jamie Moore |
Dean Crawford | |
Jamie Moore | |
Josh Payne | |
Brandon Jones | |
Jesse Payne | |
The hosts used the game to try out a new system which, despite the opposition taking advantage of defensive frailties, worked well – it was only when they switched back to a regular 4-4-2 formation, that they began to leak quickfire goals.
The Oranges pulled a goal back before the break as Payne netted the first of his trio after a ball over the top saw him charge past his marker before slamming the ball home past the keeper.
The second half saw the hosts have the downward hill advantage with the wind in their tails, whilst reverting to a new system that saw the O’s retain and pass the ball, holding possession and creating more chances in the final third.
It was enough to keep Fox Glen at bay for the majority of the second half, who were left frustrated not to end the game into double figures but did manage to find two goals before the game ended.
Game Changer themselves netted twice in the last 45 minutes as Payne completed a long-awaited hat-trick. His second of the evening came following a mix-up between the keeper and defender, after neither failed to clear their line, leaving Payne with the simplest of tasks in tapping home. He completed his treble after lashing home a left-footed effort which nestled safely into the far bottom corner, which was met by a jubilant team.
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