Hakim Finds The Spot

In the end Sporting were no match for MLFC, the hosts reaching double figures in this comfortable league win against the bottom side.

On top from the off it was only a surprise that it took until the quarter hour mark for the scoring to be opened. Bentley's surging run saw him find Hakim who passed inside for Stanton to slot home as cool as you like. Berg then won the ball for Stanton who played an incisive ball inside the full back for Radford, his first time cross bundled home from close range by Hakim.

Having hardly threatened, Sporting can count themselves a tad unfortunate, as on a rare breakaway there was a coming together just outside the box between Rayner and their forward; another ref on another day might have seen things differently than the yellow card awarded. The free kick came to nothing and, to add insult to injury, a Maccabi free kick minutes later from a similar position was drilled home by Hakim to make it 3-0. Shortly before half-time Hakim had his hat-trick, and in what style. Controlling Levack's long pass on his chest, he acrobatically volleyed the dropping ball home into the opposite corner from the edge of the box.

The Hakim show continued barely 4 minutes into the second period, his fourth and Maccabi's fifth as he capitalised on a poor clearance from the keeper to finish unchallenged. His race though was soon run, his over-worked hamstring seeing him leave the field for a well earned ice-pack. But there was no let up. Excellent work from Abrams saw him dink the ball through to Summers who lashed the ball home before a typical lung busting run from Rayner saw a fine cross met by the head of Bentley for number 8. A superb team goal gave the side their ninth, Harvey striding forward found Abrams, quick feet and a great one-two with Bentley gave him the yard he needed to play in Stanton who, with a shoulder drop here and swerve there put two on their backsides before rolling home for a hat-trick of his own. And with virtually the last kick of the game it was double figures, Radford afforded time and space in the box to crash a left footed effort into the roof of the net.

Tougher challenges lie ahead, starting with Oxhey Jets in the County Cup next week. But this was a good run out and keeps the boys ticking over.

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