Alvis were all shook up as Atletico went on a 6 goal charge, scoring 3 in each half,
and leaving Sporting feeling lonesome tonight.
The Alvis keeper Jack Hartopp may have checked into the heartbreak hotel, after being given
almost no protection by his defence, but he pulled off a series of super saves which
almost certainly kept the score in single figures.
The opening half hour was fairly even with both sides playing football, though Hartopp was
the busier of the two keepers. Matt Gardner was first to show for AFC, chipping just over
the bar from the edge of the area, before Luke Richards powered down the left and came
inside to fire goalwards, only for Hartopp to make the save. Some lazy defending in the
Atletico area presented Michael Healy with a chance for Sporting, but the Hinckley defence
rallied and thwarted his effort. AFC took the lead on 25 minutes, and when they did, the
Alvis heads dropped and Hinckley pretty much dominated the game from that moment. Rob Millington
did well to win the ball and play in Nathan Walker on the edge of the 'D' and he curled a
shot over Hartopp into the top corner. Gardner then headed just over from a corner, and Hartopp
was again on hand to save from Richards when one on one. Richards was then provider for the second
goal as he beat his man to the goal line and crossed low to Gardner to slot home 8 yards out.
Walker almost scored a carbon copy of his first goal, though this time Hartopp managed to shift
his body and just tip the ball over the bar, however from the resulting corner Atletico scored
their third. With the help of some comedy defending from Alvis the corner was played short
and then crossed to the far post where Gardner had sneaked in, and despite Sporting thinking
he was caught in an offside trap, there was no going back as Gardner simply turned the ball over
the line with his chest, to give a half time score of 3-0.
The second half started sluggishly, though the tempo changed with the introduction of
Marco Addagio, who immediately went all out for goals. Just after the hour, Richards again did
the hard work in the left channel, crossing to Adaggio who controlled the ball 12 yards out
then powered a shot past Hartopp. A circus moment of comedy extravaganza followed for goal
number five minutes later, a corner was played in and Jordan Rushton headed goalwards hitting
Gardner on his back, the deflection falling to the feet of Alex Morris who 'shinned' the ball
awkwardly and everyone watched as it trickled off at an angle and rolled over the goal line.
They all count. Adaggio saw his longe range effort drift the wrong side of the post, then JJ
Melligan had a powerful shot from the edge of the area well saved by Hartopp. Goal number six
was scored with 20 minutes remaining and was a good solo effort for Adaggio, as he got the ball
on the edge the area, dribbled around to defending tackles into the area then beat Hartopp from
12 yards out. Alvis had not left the building and with the match in it's final minutes Morris
learned that only fools rush in as his mistimed tackle in the area gave away a penalty for Sporting.
Healy stepped up to give Sam Arnold no chance form the spot, scoring a consolation for Alvis.
Melligan could've made it seven in the dying moments but Hartopp did great to parry his shot
from 8 yards, and then pulled out an even better save to stop the old hound dog, as he followed
in the rebound, from point blank range. The game finishing 6-1 and fully reflected the dominance
Atletico had enjoyed.
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Alvis Sporting match details
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