A cobbled together WIFC side traveled down to Southampton yesterday and came away with the spoils, after a hard-working and committed display saw the Internet ‘Orns run out 6-0 winners. The current focus on getting to 20 games for the tenth season in a row was of paramount importance, and a week of hard work from Dave Messenger and Pete Fincham scraped together 14 players from various sources, with the result and performance being the icing on the cake.
Despite having a bare XI at KO thanks to traffic issues, WIFC raced out of the traps. Korean loanee Roy opened the scoring to his obvious delight, as the English student who is taught by Pete’s better half took control of a loose ball on the edge of the area and smashed it home. The lead was doubled within 5 minutes, as leading scorer Jimmy Davis went to double figures for the season when he finished coolly. The lead could and should have been extended when a great Davis cross picked out Pompey IFC loanee Daz Lambe, whose bullet header was controversially ruled out for offside, though it appeared Davis had pulled his cross back.
The second half saw WIFC continue to play some great football going forward, while a resolute defensive performance from skipper for the day Brad Simmons, Ben Morrison, Matt Ball, debutant Michael De Crescenzo, and Dan Norris (Jimmy’s mate) kept the Saints at bay.
Lambe got his name on the scoresheet when he tapped home a goal-bound Davis cross, and Ross Connor, also making his debut, stroked home the 4th from the edge of the box. Davis added number 5 when he shot through the keeper’s legs, and Connor completed the scoring with another neat strike from the edge of the box.
There was even time for Freddie Fincham to become the club’s youngest ever debutant with a 5 minute cameo at the end of the match.
The allsorts celebrate a hard earned with after the game.
Team; Dan Norris; Dave Messenger, Ben Morrison, Matt Ball, Brad Simmons; Roy, Dan Maher, Moz Clarke, Lozza Wells; Jimmy Davis, Daz Lambe. Subs Richard Murphy, Micheal De Crescenzo, Ross Connor, Freddie Fincham.