Chelmsford 1st XI 5
Felixstowe 1st XI 1
East Premier Group A
Scorers: Harry Rayner (3), Adam Hunter, Tom Woollatt
CHELMSFORD kicked off their home fixtures for the season at home to newly promoted Felixstowe. Still on a high from last week's result the mood of the team was buoyant.
Chelmsford started the game with their usual enthusiasm and looked to take control from the off. After several forays into each half Felixstowe won a short corner which was deflected up out of Chelmsford keeper James Stock's reach and into the net.
Felixstowe's hold on the lead was short lived as just moments after the re-start the scores were levelled when Chelmsford won a short corner of their own. Whilst the initial flick came from Harry Rayner, Tom Woollatt was on hand to deflect it past the wrong-footed keeper. In spite of further pressure from the home side, half time arrived with the scores level at 1-1.
The second half started with Chelmsford showing the sort of dominance that would be expected from an established Prem A side against a newly promoted side. However they found the Felixstowe keeper in fine form, consistently keeping out the many and varied Chelmsford attacks. The deadlock was broken when another short corner broke down, but Chelmsford maintained possession. Adam Hunter was on hand at the back post squeezing a well-aimed push into the back of the net.
Almost immediately from pushback Chelmsford stole the ball and CJ Mayes beat the defence and took on their keeper only to be fouled. Chelmsford were subsequently awarded a penalty flick, which Rayner stepped up and converted well to take a more comfortable 3-1 lead. Chelmsford then took complete control of the game, with Rayner grabbing his second this time from a short corner. His hat-trick was completed along with Chelmsford's fifth with a simple back-post tap-in. The score remained 5-1 win at the final whistle to ensure Chelmsford maintained a 100 per cent win record at the start of the season.
Next week Chelmsford are away at Cambridge University.
