Hackney move clear of the drop zone

Hackney recorded a well deserved 3-0 victory at the expense of Stonewall FC last Saturday in the Middlesex County Premier League.

Although losing to the same opposition 1-0 just a few weeks previously Hackney went in to the fixture confident of taking all three points.

Stonewall created the first chance of the game only to see the ball cleared off the line brilliantly by Ben Brown.

From the resulting counter attack Hackney forced a corner from the right following a smooth interchange between Brown and O’Flaherty.

Chris Monahan rose above the crowd with a built header- converting his brothers in swinging corner to make it 1-0.

Hackney found themselves two up on the 20 minute mark, again from a corner when O’Flaherty ghosted in at the back post to tap in from close range.

Unlucky

O’Flaherty was unlucky not to find himself on the score sheet again when moments later his strike rattled the cross bar and appeared to cross the line only for the referee to wave play on.

After going two goals down Stonewall began to come in to the game.

A period of pressure created some chances, most notably a strike from close range kept out by the right hand of Chapman and out of danger by the left boot of Murphy.

The opening 15 minutes of the second half were tentative to say the least, as the next goal would be crucial shaping the game with neither side wanting to concede it.

However the physical presence of Sharpe and Rowlands in the middle broke down the Stonewall attrition and openings were created again.

Caban made sure the three points were safe on the 75 minute when he finished from an impossible angle in the six-yard box and seal a well deserved 3-0 victory.