A BRACE OF HAT-TRICKS FOR TOW LAW TOWN

It wasn’t exactly a surprise that last season’s Division Two top scorer Dean Thexton helped himself to a hat-trick in last night’s clash between Tow Law Town and Brandon United.

But the other three goals came from a much more unexpected source.  Prolific is hardly a description normally associated with centre half Dan Kirkup but the former Seaham Red Star and Jarrow Roofing defender matched his captain goal for goal in the blog’s second eight-goal match of the week.

It took them a while to get going, but once they did Tow Law were unstoppable.  Meanwhile, It was a vampire performance by the Brandon defence – crosses proved to be their downfall.

In the end it was a one-sided affair, but for the opening 10 minutes or so it promised to be a much more even game.  The two No. 9s traded chances.  Thexton with a free kick placed under the wall that was pushed away by Brandon keeper Jake Burns and then two shots by his counter-part Lee Blades.

Blades also provided a simple but effective pass out to his left to release left winger Jack Carr and the Brandon No. 11 took a touch and absolutely thumped it past Lawyers keeper Declan Greenwood to make it 0-1.

The lead only lasted five minutes when a slick move down the right led to a cross that was tucked away from a couple of feet from the goal line by Thexton for his first of the night.  A couple of minutes later Thexton turned two defenders before firing another shot just wide.  Tow Law took the lead soon afterwards.

Kirkup’s first of the night was the most fortunate of the game.  Scott McArdle scuffed his shot and the ball went in off Kirkup who was only a couple of feet from the goal.

Another cross almost led to a third for Tow Law.  Scott Oldfield sent the ball across and Matty Lovegreen met it at full pelt, forcing Burns into an instinctive, reaction save that was the best of the night.

Carr should have got his second of the game in the 30th minute when he beat the Tow Law offside trap by inches before striking it past Greenwood only to see it go the wrong side of the post.  It was a good opportunity missed.  It was the closest Brandon were to get to Tow Law for the rest of the game.

In the 36” minute the ball came over from a Tow Law corner and Kirkup rose above everyone else to power a header in to make it 3-1.  Two minutes later it was 4-1 when Kai Hewitson sent over another ball across the Brandon box from the right.  Thexton was on hand to score with a thumping shot to match Carr’s opener for the visitors.

Brandon were mounting fewer and fewer attacks the closer we got to half-time.

Like the first half, Brandon started the second half well and they managed to keep their improved football going for longer than the first.  Robbie Murray put a header over the bar then followed that up with a shot – again over the bar – three minutes later.  As a team they looked more competitive.

At the other end the visitors should have been punished for poor defending of another cross in the 62nd minute.  A ball from the left by Oldfield found Hewitson all alone in the Brandon box.  He seemed as surprised as anyone that he had so much time and space and he fluffed the chance.

A Brandon goal in the 75th minute – when Blades coolly slotted it past Greenwood to make it 4-2 – made the scoreline a bit more respectable, but Tow Law still had a couple of goals in them.

In the 80th minute Kirkup completed his hat-trick when he swung his leg at a Ross Nicholson pull back and then Thexton sealed the night with his third in the 88th minute when the Brandon defence failed to clear the ball.  Thexton was presented with it and the No. 9 planted it into the back of the net to make it a convincing win for the Lawyers.

Tow Law Town 6 Brandon United 2 – Ebac Northern League Division Two

(Hat-tip to Craig Lilley for the hat-trick headline)

Mike Snowdon