Daniel Smith scored a double hat-trick as City smash seven past Bewdley Town in an incredible home victory.
Last week’s man of the match Dominic Lewis dictated the midfield in yet another invaluable win, but the star of the show was Ivor Green’s prize number nine, Smith, who put an incredible six goals past a floundering away side, with Leighton McMenemy also netting on his return to the squad.
Lichfield boasted prolific home form going into the game – scoring 11 goals in their previous three fixtures at the Trade Tyre Community Stadium, while Bewdley go five games without a win following today’s result.
It did not take long for Lichfield to go ahead, scoring inside the first minute, as Smith scrambled the ball into the back of the net, following a ball into the box from the left wing.
The lead was soon doubled, as Smith robbed Bewdley’s right-sided centre half on the edge of the area and slotted the ball past keeper Owen Hughes into the bottom left corner.
Haines also asked questions of the Bewdley defence, hitting the cross bar from distance, and breaking forward from left back into the opposition half on numerous occasions.
Smith’s third was the product of a mesmerising piece of technical brilliance from Lewis, carrying the ball forward after receiving it on the half turn, then sliding a precise pass through to his centre-forward to poke home.
Lewis nearly scored himself a minute later, as he struck the ball from range and forced Hughes into action yet again, but Smith was the man to make it four, after a blocked shot trickled into his path on the edge of the six-yard box – he doesn’t miss those.
After their outstanding first half showcase, Lichfield were 4-0 up as the half-time whistle blew, with another 45 minutes still to play.
Lichfield picked up where they left off in the first half: McMenemy nodded in a diving header past Hughes after 47 minutes to make it a five-goal lead.
This was followed by two more goals from Smith in quick succession, linking up well with his team mates on the left flank for both goals to seal an emphatic double hat-trick, before being substituted off to a round of applause from the home fans.
With Smith now on the bench, Bewdley were given some respite and were able to put a mild dampener on an otherwise perfect performance from City – the visitors capitalised on a lapse in concentration at the back from Lichfield and pulled a goal back through Aston Aimes after 68 minutes.
This would be the last goal of the contest, despite the desperate late efforts of winger Luke Childs to get his name on the score sheet.
The full-time whistle blew, confirming the 7-1 victory for the home side, the win marking a statement of intent, as Lichfield close in on 3rd place Highgate United in the Midlands Football League Premier Division.
Comments