Report: Toby FC 5-1 Manford Way Reserves

Toby FC continued their pre-season preparations with a huge win as they saw off the challenge of Manford Way Reserves in an all-EOFL clash. The hosts dominated for huge spells of the game and saw their just reward with plenty of goals, while the visitors had little flurries themselves and managed to get on the scoresheet towards the end. 

Both sides looked to make a quick start, but it was the visitors who had the first chance of the game, coming in the opening minutes, as David Hornsby looked to break the deadlock early, but his shot was sliced wide. Toby came close minutes later as the ball was fed out to the right-hand side and crossed, but the keeper saved it well from close range.

Despite two early chances, both sides struggled to create openings as they battled in midfield. That was until the hosts had a couple of efforts at goal; the first was a shot saved by the keeper, before the rebound was send over the bar. The pressure continued from the hosts after the players had taken on fluid as a corner was swung in, but cleared. Again, Toby had a shot well saved by the keeper before the second effort was just over.

The pressure paid off in the 30th-minute as Toby broke the deadlock. A ball was played across to Luis Ruiz, who saw his initial shot blocked before he put away the second. The goal gave the hosts confidence as they continued to come forward. Albert Perry was encourage to shoot from distance, but his effort was dragged wide before he doubled the host’s lead a minute later. The keeper did well to save the initial shot, but Perry was on hand to poke into an empty net.

Manford Way Reserves found themselves under pressure as Toby grabbed control of the game. A attempted chip over the keeper was also over the bar, but that didn’t matter as the hosts as a third in the 42nd-minute. The ball came into the path of A.Trialist, who fired well beyond the keeper. The away side had almost pulled one back in added time as Hornsby saw his shot across the face of goal hit the post, before Toby were able to clear. Just before the half could end, Toby had a fourth. Like two of the other three goals, the keeper pulled off a great save to keep it at three, but he wasn’t able to stop Harry Barham’s shot as he fired it into the top corner.

Both sides looked to make a good start to the second half, but Toby were still very much in control. The visitors, looking for a way back into the game, came close in the 53rd-minute as the ball was floated into the box, but tipped over by the keeper before the resulting corner was scrambled cleared from the hosts.

As the game reached the 60th-minute, both sides had chances to score. Manford Way Reserves had a shot fired over before another effort was dragged wide while the Manford keeper pulled off a superb save to deny the hosts and the home side had a huge shout for a penalty, as Perry was brought down on the edge of the 18-yard box, but the referee awarded a goal-kick instead as the ball had bounced out of play.

After a second drink’s break, Manford continued to look for a goal. A shot was blocked before another effort was well saved by the keeper. Despite find themselves defending for large parts of the second period, the lead was extended to 5 in the 80th-minute as A.Trialist fired a shot across the face of goal, with his effort bouncing over the outstretched arm of the keeper.

With less than 10-minutes to play, Toby continued to dominate as they looked to see out the victory. A shot from distance from Luis Ruiz, bounced just wide before the trialist was almost in again as he made a good run, but the keeper smothered the danger. In added time, Manford got their goal, albeit a consolation, as the forward created space and fired it through the legs of the keeper.