Netherton United Striker Jakub Nowicki scored the teams 100th competitive goal of the season in the 8-0 win at Crowlands Snowden fields this morning.
United; playing only their 9th game of the season have scored some great goals this season and Nowicki’s strike on 38 minutes took the teams tally to the century mark, and with only 5 goals conceded in all competitions.

A Sam Oakley shot started it off on this weeks scoresheet. He had ran in from the right and picked up the ball inside the box, headed towards the by line and his cross come shot managed to squirm its way (via a slight deflection) past the keeper and into the net. (0-1)

Wayne Cort continued his great goal scoring form with the second goal of the game, a now trademark one on one finish past the keeper after being put through by the lively winger Sam Oakley. (0-2)
Cort was then on hand at the back post to tap Home his second of the game following a corner on the left. (0-3)
The team were playing well and though the long grass was hindering United’s usual quick passing game, the boys still looked totally in control of the game.
Defenders Drew Budd, Loui Catt and Ben Barnes tidying up anything that came through to them from the opposition.
The midfield was changed due to an ankle injury to Habib Saifullah; and the adaptable Lukas Vaickelionis dropped in to fill the spot, with Jakub Nowicki coming on to play the role behind the front two, and Oakley off as a rotational substation for Hashim Hussain.
Nowicki was soon causing problems and Hussain was again finding some good space out wide and both could of easily increased the lead before half time.
Nowicki himself had a hand in the fourth goal; breaking down the left, he crossed (this time without a Rabona) low into the box,
no one managed to get on the end of it and it was eventually cleared by the Crowland defence and fell into the path of Bob Horne who’s left foot “Scuff shot” (his words) trickled into the goal from 8 yards out. (0-4)
HT

During the break Manager Simon Roberts told the lads that despite being comfortable in the lead, they would be even more in control if they played more as a team - rather than going it alone too often.
Words that seemed to do the trick as the boys scored three quick goals in 2 emphatic minutes after the restart.
Cort completing his hat trick with a superb touch, turn and strike from just inside the penalty area. (0-5)

Lukas Vaickelionis scored the 6th; a great cross from Sam Oakley on the right hand side found Wayne Cort at the far post; and rather than head Home himself, he beautifully controlled the ball on his chest and as it dropped at his feet he casually laid it back into the path of Vaickelionis who nicely side footed home from the 6 yard box. (0-6)

Vaickelionis was again involved in the 7th.
He and Lewis Leesons were strong in the central midfield and both were full of energy and found some great passes during the game, Nowicki was next to score after breaking through between the two Crowland central defenders to latch onto a neat Vaickelionis through ball; and he made sure of his 12th goal of the season beating the keeper with a neat one on one finish and score the teams 100th goal of the season. (0-7)

After this quick fire two minute goal spree, again the team seemed to allow the game to go off plan. Despite total control, and United Keeper Bartosz Berezowski having virtually no saves to make, the passes were now not quite on target and the teamwork ethic started to drift out of the mentality a bit.
Again probably a touch harsh to say, and possibly hard for the lads to realistically stay true to form when they were so much in control. And to be fair we could of perhaps scored four more goals. Leesons hitting the woodwork with a fine strike from 20 yards, and the Crowland keeper making three outstanding saves to deny Cort, Hussain and Oakley from increasing the lead.
The goal of the game though came from a joyous passage of quick one touch football.
Leesons laid it into Vaickelionis, who then found Gomba, he instantly turned and laid it out left to Bob Horne who’s first time pulled back cross was met by the goal hungry Cort, who grabbed his fourth of the game and number 28 for his season. A truly great team goal.
(0-8)
FT

The United boys are in County Cup action next Sunday against Northants Div 1 side Brixworth Panthers, and will be hoping to secure a place in the quarter finals; and if they play like they did for the most part today they have a great chance to do so.

MOTM: Cort & Oakley