With the weather causing havoc on the TD Shipley home pitch, the reserves where desperate enough to get this game on we resorted to hiring a 3g pitch for the second week running.

The reserves are sitting pretty in their league prior to this game, with Slinfold and Holbrook sitting above us only due to games in hand. Win our games in hand and TD Shipley reserves sit in 1st place, no more needed to be said in our ore match warmup.

TD started strong and fast, we dominated possession and the lads where really trying to control the ball on the floor. I’m not sure what their plan was but Ashurst set up with 0 width, this was a recipe for disaster for them as our wingers & fullbacks where dominating Ashurst’s lonely fullbacks. Ashurst’s feisty LB was barking loudly for the first 15 minutes until Senra decided he had had enough of listening to him, a fair but strong challenge saw the poor lad hobble off the field, oh-goodbye-now!!!

Charlie Hewitt brought his shooting boots to this game as he always does, not many players at this level can pick the ball up in the centre circle and be confident of a decent shot on target, within a few minutes he had stung the keeper’s fingertips 2/3 times but no luck. The pressure continued from TD having Ashurst penned in their own penalty area, the ball was “cleared” by Ashurst and Hewitt gave his best Essien impression by chesting the ball and volleying the thing first time, top bins, keeper no chance, 1-0 TD.

The floodgates had finally been opened, within 10 minutes Bubbsy the beast continued his marching runs down the right hand side, linking up with Crocker over and over again until he finally got a well-deserved assist. A lovely low cross into the 6 yard area had Ashurst scrambling to get in position to try and stop the inevitable as Ryan Murphy helped himself to a neat finish through the last defenders legs, 2-0 TD.

A quick start to the second half for TD, 46 minutes and CB Sam Truelove wanted to show his passing ability and did so with a lovely ball through to an unwell Ayman, who despite his need to throw up managed to completely skin 2x Ashurst players before slotting it in the bottom corner, 3-0 TD.

63 minutes, TD just continued to press and dominate the game and Ashurst were completely deflated at this point, TD forwards were as hungry as always and where out for blood. Big George battled very well up top in this game, bullying their back line one at a time, toying with them at times allowing our wingers and fullbacks the time they needed.
Harry Charman who also had a very good game down his left-hand side continued his darting runs in behind the back line of Ashurst and finally got his reward by beating their RB and dinking a ball into the box and would you believe it, TD Reserves scored a header through super Mario, MADNESS!! Surely that would just be a one off?! 4-0 and cruising.

80 minutes in and Big George had seen enough goals scored by other players today, he and the rest of the squad knew what was coming next and he did it all alone. Held the ball up nicely from a forward pass into him, turned the defender and got himself 1v1 (ish) with the keeper and smashed the ball in the back of the net. 5-0 TD.

Ashurst had brough along a photographer for this game, after George’s goal he decided to pack up and pretend the game had never happened, his words not ours!
The outfield players of Ashurst decided in the last 3rd of the game to try and outfight TD with some pretty awful challenges. Amin fresh back from injury felt the full force of a certain red card elbow to the head and had to come off, ref gave a yellow for this and that summed up his game to be honest, he let way to many poor challenges go unpunished and wanted to keep consistent I suppose.

85 minutes MOM Charlie H continued his domination of the attacking midfield area and made the game look easy at times, another sumptuous through ball to Big George saw him score a similar goal to his first by rolling the defender and yet again locking eyes with the deflated keeper. I don’t even think the keeper bothered diving for this one, he knew George was chasing the league’s top goal scorer position and calmly stuck it in the net. 6-0 TD.

89 minutes, Ashurst begging the ref for the final whistle but even he couldn’t help them stop a 7th. Big George got his assist reward after continuing the bully the back line, got himself into a great position behind the defence and chipped in a lovely ball into the box. Super Maz waiting in the area managed to nod home his second of the game, yes that’s right, we scored 2x headers, mind blown!! 7-0 TD.

Top performance all round reserves, we must take this momentum into our next game and build from this. A well-deserved thumping victory that will leave a lasting memory for Ashurst, look forward to meeting them again at their ground.

Up the TD.