Melbourn 7 Gt Shelford Res 1MELBOURN were in no mood for love or compassion as they massacred their Division 2A rivals in the semi-final of the Creake Shield. It is the sixth time this season Melbourn have scored six goals or more in a game, but despite

Melbourn 7 Gt Shelford Res 1

MELBOURN were in no mood for love or compassion as they massacred their Division 2A rivals in the semi-final of the Creake Shield.

It is the sixth time this season Melbourn have scored six goals or more in a game, but despite the eventually thrashing of their opponents it was Great Shelford Reserves who started the brighter of the two.

The visitors took the game to Melbourn early on but the hosts were able to absorb the pressure and eventually found their feet and began to stroke the ball around.

It wasn't long before Melbourn took the lead when a corner caused confusion in the box and a defender and the Great Shelford keeper bungled over the ball for s oft own goal.

Melbourn continued to press and in the one-way traffic were guilty of missing several chances, the worse being Andrew Morris spooning over the bar from six yards after a fine ball across the goal from the lively Andy Richardson had the keeper beat and had left him with an open goal.

At the other end, Paul Huzzy in the Melbourn goal kept Great Shelford at bay by saving a stinging free-kick and shortly afterwards Great Shelford Res appeared to go into the half-time break two minutes too early such is the only explanation for their sudden collapse before the break.

From being one goal to the good, Melbourn went into half time two more better off.

Lee Edmands scored the goal of the game when he received the ball with his back to goal 30 yards out before turning and clipping the ball majestically over the keeper and into the net.

And a minute later a long ball into Kris Watters was skilfully played first time into the path of Richardson who raced away and placed the ball beyond the on-rushing keeper.

As the half-time whistle blew, Melbourn already had a foot firmly in the final and the game was effectively put to bed a minute into the second half.

Morris raced into the box and skilfully skipped past the left back before lofting a cross to the far post where Watters headed neatly into the far corner of the goal.

Knowing they had secured their place in the final, it was now a case of how many goals Melbourn could put past their opponents.

They continued to pass the ball excellently with Andrew Gray in the centre of midfield conducting the play as though it were an orchestra.

A fifth goal was inevitable and it came when Morris again roasted the left-back and cut the ball towards the near post where the prolific Watters bundled the ball in.

The sixth followed a minute later when Richardson slotted home after a parry from the Gt Shelford keeper, but then the visitors got a goal back themselves with a fine free-kick which deceived the solid Huzzy.

There was one more goal to come, though, when an Andrew Gray long throw was met by veteran defender Gary Norman who somehow squeezed the ball past keeper, defender and post to complete the scoring.

Melbourn saw out the game and could and probably should have had more goals, but it was an excellent return to form to maintain their unbeaten record and race into the final.

Melbourn: Huzzy; Patman, Norman, Bryan, Collen (Clarke); Morris, Gray, Fox (Hill), Richardson; Edmans (Wagstaff), Watters. Subs not used: Barton, Barrell